


Deadwood Creek

by babybrotherdean



Series: Deadwood Creek [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Autumn, BAMF Jared, BAMF Jensen, Blood and Violence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Halloween, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, Just Add Kittens, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Slow Burn, Supernatural Elements, Werewolf Jared
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-26 11:37:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12556556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babybrotherdean/pseuds/babybrotherdean
Summary: Jensen has had most of his life to get used to the oddities of Deadwood Creek. From vampires and witches to fairies and ghosts, even the novelty of being the only human in town has worn off with time and routine. He knows this place, and he knows his duties as the town’s guardian, and he’s happy to settle into a pattern of familiarity, holding those things close.It’s all thrown a little off-kilter when an over-friendly werewolf rolls into town and becomes a part of Jensen’s life. Rules are harder to follow with Jared Padalecki following him around, and as their relationship grows and the distance between them shrinks, Jensen is left to question what’s most important in his life: the duty to which he’s devoted his entire being, or the feelings blooming between him and Jared.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Or, “the fic formally known as spoopytown.” Absolutely 100% inspired by the EW Halloween photoshoot, and the questions it raised in my mind about Jensen’s handfuls of kittens. 
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this, and I’m really happy with how it came out. Major shoutouts to all the people who put up with me yelling about this story for the two weeks it took to write it (and even more so to the people who contributed to said yelling), and to [Kirsten's](marrieddorks.tumblr.com) huge help as my beta (for making me put in the detail and extra word count that this story deserved). 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it, and that it gets you into the Halloween spirit! <3

Things have always seemed just a little bit sideways in the small town of Deadwood Creek.

It isn’t that the place itself is much to speak of. Small, quaint. Nestled on its own just off the edge of an old forest, cozy and out-of-the-way. It’s quite far-removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, and many of its residents never travel far past its outskirts. Not because of any physical barriers, or even social ones- they simply never feel the need to leave their own little community. It’s a safe place for its citizens, a sanctuary from the outside world that might seek to do them harm.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that the harsher parts of the world don’t try to sneak their way in every now and again.

Jensen’s panting hard, but it doesn’t slow down his chase. He can see the man up ahead, burlap sack in hand, and Jensen knows that he’s got the advantage; intruders never know these woods as well as he does, and it shows in the way the man stumbles, tripping on roots and fumbling around looming trees that Jensen could navigate blind- doing it under the light of a nearly-full moon is child’s play. They’re still a couple miles out from the nearest road, and even though Jensen knows there’s no way that he’s going to lose this guy, he pushes himself a little harder to close the distance between them. No need to drag this on longer than it needs to go.

As soon as he’s close enough, Jensen dives, and the risk is worth it when his fingers catch in the man’s jacket. He grips it tight and allows himself a tiny smile when the man shouts out, the two of them going down together and hitting the ground hard. Jensen doesn’t let it slow him down, and he’s on top of the man within seconds, one hand finding the sack and yanking it free.

“Coming here was a mistake,” he says, and he doesn’t miss the fear in the man’s eyes as he looks down once more. It would be easy to kill him- clean up this problem for good, make sure he wouldn’t come back in the future and bother them again- but he’s fought hard to move past that reputation. He’s not here to spill more blood. “You’re not going to do it again.”

He slips a hand into his pocket and produces a small vial of blue liquid, thumbing the cap off and bringing it to the man’s lips. “You’re going to forget that this place ever existed.”

It’s a bit of a struggle- it always is, to do things peacefully- but when Jensen gets the guy properly pinned down and plugs his nose, forcing him to swallow, it’s a matter of seconds before he goes lax, eyes drooping. Jensen waits a few extra seconds to make sure that the serum is doing its job before nodding once and standing up, tugging the man to his feet and turning him to face in the general direction of the road.

“You’ll be fine,” he says simply. “Just keep walking this way until you hit the road, then wave somebody down for a ride into the city. Got it?”

“Keep walking,” the guy mumbles back at him, and he’s already doing it, feet moving mechanically. “Wave somebody down…”

Jensen watches until the man disappears into the foliage and nods to himself, satisfied. He knows that the packs of these woods will ensure that the intruder makes it back to the road in one piece, and his job here is finished. He turns his attention, instead, to the sack that’s sitting on the ground- and more importantly, to the little lump inside it, moving around and making tiny sounds of distress.

He’s gentle when he picks it up again, finding the bag’s opening and slipping one hand inside until his fingertips meet soft fur. From there, it’s easy to curl his hand around the little creature and pull it free from the bag, unable to hide his smile when he’s met with a wriggling, black kitten, already demanding attention in tiny mewls.

“Alright, alright,” Jensen murmurs, and he brings the kitten in close to slip into his jacket’s breast pocket. “We’re going home, Atticus. Don’t get fussy with me.”

Atticus yawns, sharp little teeth glinting in the moonlight, and then settles down where he is, apparently content to return to his nap. Jensen rolls his eyes fondly and turns to head back to town, shivering a little in the cool air. It’ll be nice to curl up in front of the fire tonight, now that all of his charges are safe once more.

It isn’t always easy to care for young familiars, but after generations of chosen _skjǫldr_ devoting their lives to protecting the small slice of the magic in the world that lives in Deadwood Creek, he’s never once thought to question his duty. It isn’t something he minds, either- he might not have been born here, but he was taught to live this life, and he takes pride in the work he does. More so, he enjoys it, and he’s found some dear friends in the residents of their little town, as odd as they may be.

It’s nearly midnight by the time he reaches the edge of the forest and spots some of the lights coming from the town. It’s not unusual for people to be out and about at this hour, with so many of the locals being nocturnal, if they sleep at all, so he dusts the dirt off his jeans and makes sure he’s all in order before he finds the sidewalk, nodding at people as they pass.

Everyone around here is familiar to him- it’s too small a town for him to avoid knowing everybody’s face, even though he tries his best to keep to himself. He passes a couple young vamps who giggle as they walk by, elbows bumping together and fangs hidden behind their hands while they whisper back and forth. One of a small handful of local patchworks who grins at him, playful, waving with one mismatched hand. Jensen can’t help but smile in return, no longer unsettled by the man’s appearance the way he might have been as a child.

His cabin is out of the way from the rest of the town, so it’s quiet once he turns onto the dirt road that leads him there, dimly lit by the moon overhead and not a whole lot else. Besides the sleepy huffs from the kitten dozing in his pocket, it’s just the sound of his footsteps that fills the air, and he finds himself smiling again, the last dregs of adrenaline gone from his body. It’s time to rest for the night, now that the intruder has been chased away, and he’s more than happy to settle into a state of relaxation.

Jensen’s home is much like the town he lives in: small and cozy. It’s far from lavish, but with only himself and a small handful of familiars to occupy it at any given time, it’s more than enough room. He inherited it from his late mentor, years ago, as a child, and now, as he unlocks the door and slips inside to the comforting scent of burning sage, he feels grateful for it, as he always does.

Once his boots are off, he takes Atticus to join his siblings in the little bed by the fireplace, carefully setting him down and watching as the three of them curl up tight together, merging into one indistinguishable lump of fur. The coals are still giving off steady heat, and Jensen takes a moment to add another log to the fire before he steps away, getting ready to shut everything down for the night. Doors and windows locked, protective charms in place- it all seems to be in order, and once he’s satisfied, he moves to get himself ready for bed. Jeans neatly folded, jacket over the back of his desk chair, sleep clothes on- once he checks on the kittens one last time, Jensen crawls into bed, just across the room from the fireplace, and gets himself good and comfortable, eyelids already heavy. It’s just a short few minutes before he falls asleep.

A busy day in Deadwood Creek, perhaps, but far from an abnormal one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter: Jared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love jumping from a 1700-word chapter to one that's almost 5800 words. :D
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it! Jared wanders his way into town and things get exciting. 
> 
> Also: I make some use of Old Norse in this fic (for... reasons...), mostly just for pet names and stuff like that (nothing that should be particularly confusing in context). I'll be including all the translations per chapter in the end note. The most commonly-used word is "skjǫldr," (for your mind-pronunciation, it sounds like "skyaulder") which literally means "shield." It's just the title of Jensen's job.

Jensen’s always been an early riser, and today is no different as he wakes to the sound of birdsong outside his window, and the warmth of the sunlight already peeking through the curtains. There’s no good reason to stay in bed any longer, so he doesn’t, sitting up and stretching briefly before swinging his legs over the edge of the mattress and standing up.

The kittens are already awake, tripping over themselves and each other as they run around the little cabin, not that there’s much for them to explore. The main living area dominates most of the space, with a couch, a matching chair, a desk, and the little corner he’s staked out for his sleeping quarters; beyond that, he’s got a little bathroom and a separate dining and kitchen area. It isn’t much, all things considered, but it’s more than enough for his purposes.

“Morning,” he says to them, wherever they’re hiding, and takes a moment to stretch, arms high over his head as he pads towards the kitchen. It’s still warm with the remains of last night’s fire, even as the leaves outside are starting to don their autumn colours, so he’s comfortable in just his sleep pants for the time being.

He puts out food for the kittens, first- Felix and Freyja are already scampering around his ankles, and Atticus is doing his very best to climb up Jensen’s leg for a closer look at the meal he’s preparing. He’s very careful about their diets, ensuring they’re fed properly and can grow into the magical partners they’re meant to be, so it’s only once everything is properly measured out and mixed together that he sets the bowls on the floor, gently plucking Atticus off of his leg to set him back down.

“Eat up.” Not that they need the encouragement, already hurrying over and crowding around the food. “I won’t be far.”

Once he’s sure they’re alright and not pushing each other around too much- things can get rowdy around breakfast time- he pours himself a bowl of cereal and wanders over to his desk, sitting down to record last night’s incident. He eats with his left hand while he works, careful to note down every detail he can remember- when the intruder arrived, from which direction he came, and the way he tried to escape. He does everything in his power to protect this town, and for that to work, he has to be meticulous about the way he responds to these incidents- the steps he takes to ensure they won’t happen again.

Only once everything is recorded and he’s finished eating does he stand again, cleaning everything up from breakfast and checking to make sure the kittens have finished their food. It’s all part of a familiar routine, and he does a quick headcount before getting dressed- work boots, jeans, t-shirt, jacket. It’s time to do his morning rounds.

He gathers his things and leaves the kittens dozing, careful to close the door silently as he steps out into the crisp autumn air. He shoves his hands deep into his pockets to keep them warm, and then he starts walking- leaves crunch under his boots, and it’s easy to follow the well-worn trail that takes him along the town’s perimeter, just a few dozen feet into the edge of the forest.

These walks are one of Jensen’s favourite parts of the day, quiet and peaceful in a way that leaves him completely to his own thoughts. They always tend to circle back to the same topics- the errands he needs to run, the familiars in his charge, the handful of locals who consider him a friend- but it’s far from boring, every step spent listening carefully to his surroundings, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Anything that could suggest that something is wrong.

All that considered, he should have been prepared for what happens next.

A rustle of leaves, a dark blur in the corner of Jensen’s eye, and he’s bowled over before he can blink, hitting the ground hard and grunting as the air’s forced out of his lungs. He’s left gasping for breath and scrambling to respond, but whatever move he might’ve made is cut short by a puff of hot breath against his face, prompting him to go still as he takes in the situation.

There’s a wolf pinning him to the forest floor. A big one, too- not a regular wolf, then, but almost certainly a were. What catches Jensen off-guard is that he doesn’t recognize it; they’ve got a handful of local werewolves, none of whom hunt humans, and this one- this one is different.

For a long, heart-stopping moment, Jensen thinks about the silver knife he keeps at home, just in case. The silver knife that isn’t on his person because he hasn’t carried it in years. The one weapon that might’ve had a chance of saving his life.

He takes a short moment to pray and to accept his fate, and then the wolf leans in, eyes intent on Jensen’s face, and it-

-licks him.

It’s a long, sloppy lick, all the way from his jaw to his temple, and Jensen’s too shocked to even be disgusted by it. He knows enough about werewolves to know that they don’t usually play with their food, and this- this isn’t aggressive behaviour. The thought is only further confirmed when the wolf pushes its nose up under his chin, and he feels another huff of breath, and-

“Are you-?” He’s driven to speak out of pure disbelief- it’s _scenting_ him, of all things- and when he realizes he’s not quite as immobilized as he’d feared, he’s lifting his hands, pushing tentatively at the wolf’s snout. “Hey. Get off.”

He’s not met with much of a response until he pushes harder, at which point the wolf whines at him indignantly before actually backing off. Jensen’s able to sit up, but can’t quite gather himself enough to speak before the wolf turns and bounds away, leaving him dishevelled as well as confused. He doesn’t let it slow him down for long, though, shaking it off and getting his feet back under him. Were or not, a stranger in town is too unusual for Jensen to allow himself to walk away, and he doesn’t waste any time in starting to follow.

It’s a bit different from his usual work- more often than not, Jensen deals with humans in this regard- but he knows enough to be able to follow the path left behind by the wolf. It doesn’t seem to be headed anywhere in particular- no clear path towards town, anyways- but he keeps after it, driven by duty and a sense of curiosity that he refuses to acknowledge. The wolf’s behaviour had been strange, especially for somebody unfamiliar to town, and it’s intriguing. It’s a puzzle that begs to be solved.

He’s not sure how much time has passed before he realizes how far he’s deviated from his typical route, and he has to accept that if the wolf had wanted to get away, then there’s no way Jensen is going to catch up with him. Not on foot, and not with the head start his initial confusion had provided. It’s a grudging acceptance, but he has duties to perform, and there will be time later to ask around about the newcomer- technically speaking, it’s not even Jensen’s job to deal with this sort of issue, with the local pack typically handling their own affairs, so he focuses on that and shoves the rest of his feelings aside. He’s got his own job to do right now, and he doesn’t need to be worrying about a weird encounter that ultimately just isn’t his problem.

That doesn’t make it any easier to forget the colour of the wolf’s eyes. Golden, maybe hazel-green; they’re shifting even in his memory, but Jensen clings to it, fascinated and concerned and quietly stewing over the whole thing.

For the rest of his daily patrol, Jensen’s on high alert, wary of the strange wolf approaching him again, but he’s left completely alone. It doesn’t stop him from being on edge even when he finally returns home, locking the door behind him twice just to make sure nobody can get inside before he busies himself with other things, working to get his mind off it.

Why would there be a new wolf in town? It’s not normal for one to abandon its pack, outside of extreme circumstances, and even if it did, surely, the local ones would’ve driven off a straggler…

Thinking about it brings more questions than answers, and finally, Jensen settles on a plan to ask around when he goes into town this afternoon. Some of the town’s other residents might know better than him about a stranger wandering their borders, and it might be the only way to get his information.

Maybe this time, he’ll bring the silver knife, too. Just in case. He’s gotten damn good at not spilling blood over the years, but he isn’t going to risk putting his life on the line for the sake of sticking to those principles. He’s got too many people to protect.

It’s easy to distract himself once the kittens start demanding his attention, sleepy as they might be, and he spends the next little while entertaining them- they might have important futures as companions to young witches, but it doesn’t make them any less susceptible to chasing after catnip-stuffed toys than any other kittens. It’s Jensen’s chance to relax, too; of all the different aspects of his job, looking after these little ones probably relieves the most stress.

He’s sitting on the floor, dangling a little toy above their heads while they bat at it with tiny paws, and his mind starts to wander again, after a little while, mostly back towards that wolf. Now that he’s calmed himself down somewhat, he tries to go over their interaction again- analyzes it, searches for meaning. No matter how he looks at it, nothing about the wolf’s actions had been aggressive; even knocking him down in the first place can be read as distinctly playful in the context of the rest of their interaction. It’s not unlike the way Atticus and his siblings bowl each other over when they play-fight, and certainly not uncommon among wolves. Still… he can’t shake off the strangeness of the wolf being so entirely unfamiliar, and it takes Felix nipping at his fingertips to smooth out his brow and tug him free of a quickly spiralling train of thought, realizing that he’s let the toy rest, motionless, on the ground for the last couple minutes.

“Sorry, buddy,” he says, taking a moment to rub at the kitten’s ears before hauling himself to his feet. “I should get going now, anyways. You guys want to come with?”

If the way the three of them immediately start trying to climb up his legs is of any indication, Jensen won’t be going to town alone today.

He takes his wallet and his tiny charges and tucks them all away into his pockets, making sure everybody is good and situated before he leaves his home once more. As much as they sometimes like to get into trouble, they make for good companions, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to bring them out and about with him when he can get away with it.

It’s a short walk to town, and a pleasant one, now that he can focus more on the tranquility of his surroundings than the potential dangers they hide. The leaves are changing into vibrant reds and golds in preparation for winter, the air is crisp, and the sun shines down from a clear sky overhead. A beautiful day, and Jensen wonders if he ought to take the time later for a walk through the woods, just for the sake of appreciating it properly.

No matter for now, though- the main road is in sight, cobblestones underfoot that create a striking anachronism to the rest of the world around them. Though much of the architecture in Deadwood Creek lingers from decades- even centuries- past, and though most choose to travel by foot or bicycle, hints of modern life shine through in overhead power cables and fluorescent stop signs at intersections. It’s an odd mish-mash of a handful of different time periods, but having grown up here, Jensen has long adjusted to it, far past finding anything strange about the particular aesthetic of their quirky little town.

Jensen has a short list of errands to complete, most of which center around visiting a few of his favourite little shops that sit along the main road. Witchcraft, mostly- there are some things he needs to pick up, and besides that, the girls who run the shops always like to see how the kittens are doing- and maybe some groceries, too, if he has the time. An average day among a thousand others like it, and he’s perfectly content to keep it that way.

Freyja pokes her head out of his pocket as soon as he steps into the first shop, the bell above the door announcing their arrival. There’s a heavy, herbal scent in the air, and as Jensen moves past the ritual candles that line the entryway, he spots the shop’s owner, standing at her workstation, fingers deft as she prepares what looks like some kind of protective hex bag.

“Dani,” he greets, and gets a little hum in response. Danneel is clearly focused, red hair pinned back from her face while she works, and Jensen takes the hint, turning his attention to the shop’s displays while he waits for her to finish up. He’s eyeing up a set of purifying crystals when she makes a triumphant sound, and he looks up to see her carefully tying the bag shut with a bit of twine.

“All done,” she hums, and then she’s straightening up to smile at him, setting the bag down so she can cross the room. “I didn’t know you were coming by today!”

Jensen smiles at that, opening his arms to accept the hug she gives him and laughing when the kittens in his pockets start to squirm and mewl in response. “Sorry, I needed to restock. Should I call ahead next time?”

“Don’t be silly.” Danneel’s attention has clearly shifted as she scoops Freyja right out of Jensen’s pocket, cooing at her and rubbing her ears. “You’re always welcome here, _skjǫldr_. What can I do for you?”

He tells her about the intruder from last night as they wander the shop together, Danneel pointing out items of interest and gathering the supplies he’ll need to make another batch of his serum. Its primary function is that of memory alteration, such that anyone who manages to stumble upon Deadwood Creek can be safely turned around and sent back to the rest of the world with no recollection of ever having been there in the first place. More importantly, the people who do find them on purpose- hunters, largely- can be reset in such a way that they won’t think to bother the little town again any time soon. No harmful side-effects, but thorough enough that it keeps them safe.

“I’m glad it’s still working for you,” Danneel says warmly, finally bringing Jensen to the counter now that he’s got everything he needs. She hesitates for a moment while she notes it all down in an inventory log, catching her lip between her teeth. She’s still holding Freyja, and starts petting her again, seemingly as a self-soothe. “I never liked the way we used to deal with those people. I understood the necessity, of course, but… some were lost hikers. Some were children.”

Jensen just nods, keeping his eyes down. He’s heard plenty of horror stories about his predecessors, and all they’ve done is renew his determination to continue on as he has been for the past several years: peacefully, and causing as little harm as possible while he protects the secrecy and tranquility of this town. “We can’t change the past, Dani.”

“I know.” She sighs, setting Freyja down on the counter and carefully putting all of Jensen’s things into a bag. “In any case, we’re lucky to have you. I don’t know where we’d be, otherwise.” She smiles, and it’s tentative until Jensen reaches out and curls his fingers around hers, squeezing gently. “I’ll see you around, Jensen. Be careful out there.”

“Always am.”

It’s not until her shop’s door has already closed behind him that Jensen remembers the other thing he’s supposed to be doing today- asking around about that strange wolf. He considers going back inside, but ultimately decides to leave Danneel alone for the moment. Maybe he’ll duck back in on his way home, if he hasn’t already gathered the information he needs. For now, he checks once more that all of his kittens are safely tucked away in his pockets, pulls his bag of supplies over his shoulder, and turns to start walking once more.

That comes to an abrupt halt when he’s met with a brick wall of a person directly in his path, far too close for comfort, and he nearly trips over himself trying to stumble out of the way.

Big hands shoot out to steady him, fingers curling tight around his arms, and even as he tries to shrug them off- he’s better than this, and definitely shouldn’t be caught off-guard by a pedestrian wandering a little too close- the other man is already apologizing. “Oh, crap, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just thought I’d come say hi, and then you turned around so fast, and- are those cats?”

It’s a struggle to even follow the quick speech, and by the time Jensen looks up- and _up_ \- to try to identify who he’s run into, the man’s already wide-eyed and focused on Felix, trying to climb out of Jensen’s pocket in search of attention from the stranger. “You- yeah, they’re cats. Who the hell are you?”

It comes out more harshly than it should, but Jensen’s still frazzled after the encounter with the wolf this morning, and colliding with a strange man in a town that’s supposed to be familiar to him is just making it all worse. He just gets a grin in response, though, as the man apparently occupies himself with rubbing Felix’s ears and up under his chin, seeming unfazed. “Right, I guess we haven’t met yet. I’m Jared! It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you, so it’s cool to finally have a face to put to the name, y’know?”

That’s more baffling still, and so Jensen takes a moment to really _look_ at the guy- Jared. He’s big, which is plain enough to see. They’re in broad daylight, so he isn’t a vampire, and he doesn’t have the same air to him as witches and fairies do, and when Jensen squints up at his golden-hazel-green eyes-

That’s when he stops short, because besides the feral glint to them that labels Jared a werewolf, it’s the fact that Jensen _recognizes_ these eyes in particular that suddenly fits everything together.

“You know, you’re a whole lot cuter than I thought you’d be-”

“You’re the wolf from this morning!” Jensen says it like an accusation because it _is_ one, but Jared doesn’t seem concerned, still occupied with the kittens. Atticus is giving him attention now, as well, and they seem just short of climbing right out of Jensen’s pockets to formally introduce themselves to this stranger. “You attacked me!”

That, at least, seems to get Jared’s attention, as his eyes shift to meet Jensen’s properly and he frowns, a furrow forming in his brow. “I didn’t attack you. I was really careful! I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

The most baffling part of it all is that Jared seems genuinely concerned, and Jensen’s left floundering for a moment before he can make himself respond. “I- no, but you-”

“Oh, thank the goddess.” Jared exhales in obvious relief, and then just goes right ahead and scoops two of the kittens out of Jensen’s pockets so he can hold them, ignoring Jensen’s sound of protest and leaving only Freyja tucked into her little burrow. “You know, I usually don’t get along with cats, but these ones are adora-”

“Who are you?” Jensen demands once more, cutting Jared off. “And I don’t mean your name. What pack are you from? Why are you here? How did you find this place?”

Jared’s quiet for a moment, eyes fixed on Jensen’s face, and finally, after a long moment, he smiles. “Jared,” he repeats. “Jared Padalecki. I knew where to find Deadwood Creek because I used to live here, when I was a kid.”

That throws Jensen for a bit of a loop. It’s exceptionally rare for people to leave town, given the nature of most of its inhabitants, and even more so for them to actually return once they do; besides the risk of being caught by hunters, there can’t be all that much appeal in a tiny place like this once somebody’s gotten themselves a taste of the rest of the world. He doesn’t know how to respond, and Jared must pick up on that, because he grins, big and cheeky.

“Yeah, my family kind of packed up and left,” he says thoughtfully. “I guess they were fed up with the, uh- well, no offence, but the fact that the only ones in town who were killing humans were… the local humans. Seemed kinda ironic, I guess.”

Oh. Jensen had known people were unhappy with how things had been run in the past, but… that was an extreme he hadn’t been aware of. “Then… why are you here now?”

“Well, duh.” Jared rolls his eyes, but he’s still got a grin on his face that takes away from the effect. “Because that doesn’t happen anymore! Or so I’ve heard.” He leans in, then, way too close for comfort, and sniffs at Jensen’s shoulder, up towards his neck- it’s so sudden that Jensen’s barely got time to try to stumble back before Jared’s already straightening up again, smiling even bigger. “You’re our _skjǫldr_ now, aren’t you? I’ve heard loads of nice things about you. Jensen, right?”

And Jensen just- Jensen just _stares_ , at a loss and entirely overwhelmed by everything that is _Jared_ , standing before him. Kittens in hand, apparently totally unaware of the concept of personal boundaries, grinning like he’s trying his damnedest to outshine the sun.

“Right,” Jensen says slowly, because it’s the best he can hope to come up with right now. “Look, uh- I really need to get going. I’ve got stuff to do today, and-”

“Oh, can I come?” Jared goes on ahead and misses the entire point, already bouncing on the balls of his feet like he’s ready to dart off in any direction Jensen points. It’s not hard to see the wolf in him, clear as day. “It’d be great to have somebody show me around town. I’ve always wanted to see it for myself, and it’s not like much has changed, I guess, but I was pretty much just a kid when I last lived here, so it’s all kind of fuzzy.”

Jensen watches Jared’s excitement for a few seconds and considers the pros and cons of just turning and walking away. Unfortunately, Jared is still holding two of his small charges hostage, and as tempting as it is, he’s sure he wouldn’t forgive himself for shirking his duties so carelessly for the sake of preserving his own sanity.

He heaves a dramatic sigh.

“Fine,” he agrees, and cuts off Jared’s celebration as he continues. “But only until I’m finished in town. That’s it. Don’t plan on making a day of this.”

It doesn’t do anything to dampen Jared’s apparent enthusiasm, and as Jensen starts walking down the street once more, he finds himself accompanied by something of an overgrown child, humming to himself and talking to the kittens as they go.

“I bet he’s really nice to you guys, huh?”

Deciding not to wonder too much about the oddity that is a werewolf taking such a liking to a handful of kittens, Jensen tries to focus once more on his errands, intent on finishing regardless of his current company. Besides the supplies he’d picked up from Danneel, all he really needs is food, and that’s where he sets his sights, headed towards the supermarket at the end of the street. He does his very best to ignore Jared as they go, but that’s a bit of a tall order.

“Have you lived here your whole life?” Jared seems to want to learn more about him, and as used to relative solitude as Jensen has become over the years, he isn’t entirely sure how to handle this. “I mean, it’s a bloodline thing, right? The whole guardian gig?”

“No.” Jensen’s answer is curt, and maybe he’s being a little rude, but he isn’t used to being so abruptly thrown so far out of his social comfort zone. “I’ve lived here for _most_ of my life, and it’s not about blood. It’s about being- being chosen. The man who did it before me-” that thought always brings an ache to his chest- “taught me everything he knew before he died.”

“And you’ll pass it on to somebody else, too?”

Jensen shrugs. That’s a part of the fine print that he rather tries not to think about. “That’s the idea.”

Jared makes a thoughtful sound, and he’s quiet long enough for them to actually reach the supermarket. Jensen leads the way inside and takes a moment to rub his fingertips over Freyja’s head as she peeks out of his pocket, clearly getting sleepy. He picks up a basket on his way inside, paying no real mind to Jared as he starts making his way along his usual path through the aisles.

“Y’know, I missed this place.” Jared sounds wistful, now. Jensen keeps his eyes on the canned soup display. “I mean, I wasn’t very old when we left, but I always had this impression of it in my head, and my mom would tell me stories. Show me pictures… not that she was really supposed to have them in the first place, but, well, what’s the fun in living life without breaking a few rules?”

“Rules are put into place for a reason,” Jensen says plainly, eyeing his options before picking out a few of his usual favourites. He’s a creature of habit. “They keep people safe, and they maintain order. If this town didn’t have any rules, then nobody would be able to live here peacefully.”

“Okay, there are _some_ important rules,” Jared concedes. “But some of them are just ridiculous. Like- like not taking pictures outside the town’s borders. That’s super strict. What’s the point?”

“It helps maintain secrecy.” Jensen feels like he’s reading off a script, not even bothering to look up as he explains things that have always been so fundamental to his way of life. “All the rules exist for a good reason. Breaking them just shows that you don’t care about whatever principle they’re meant to maintain in the first place.”

Jared stays quiet for a little bit after that, and Jensen’s able to work his way through the dairy section in relative peace. It’s not until they reach the produce that Jared speaks once more. “I guess it’s kind of your job to keep everybody following the rules, huh?”

Jensen sighs, because it’s not the first time he’s heard it, and he finally looks back towards Jared. “No, it isn’t,” he says. “It’s not like I’m the town’s sheriff or something. It’s my job to protect us from the outside world, not to regulate how people in town act or the things they do.”

“Oh. Huh.” Another moment of silence, and then Jared keeps going. Jensen’s quickly coming to learn that he never stays quiet for long. “I bet you’d look pretty cool with one of those sheriff badges on, though. Maybe a cowboy hat, too.”

Jensen decides not to dignify that with a response.

He’s got a full basket by the time he makes it to the checkout counter, and Jared’s still tight on his heels, apparently fascinated with every aspect of this process. Jensen does his best to ignore the extra presence and focuses, instead, on smiling at the cashier, a young girl whose parents he knows. Calliope, wings tucked carefully behind her, nearly translucent under the overhead lights. Fairy. “Morning.”

“Hi.” She smiles back at him, but her eyes are on Jared a moment later, looking like she can’t decide whether to be curious or amused. “You’ve got a shadow.”

Jensen heaves a sigh. Jared grins and waves. “I’ve noticed.”

“I’m Jared,” he says cheerfully. Goes to offer his hand only to apparently remember that he’s still holding Atticus with it, and his smile turns sheepish. “Nice to meet you!”

“You, too.” Calliope’s smiling, still, and when she looks back at Jensen, there’s something mischievous in her expression. Leans in close as she bags his purchases and whispers, “he’s pretty cute.”

Jensen pulls a face and is most definitely not blushing. At all.

The way Calliope laughs at him says that might be slightly less than true.

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles, handing her a couple bills to cover his groceries. “Laugh it up. Say hi to your parents for me.”

She waves cheerfully as Jensen turns towards the door, and Jared, apparently unfazed, goes right back to chatting. “D’you have any more errands to run? Or could you maybe show me around a little? Like what’s good to eat around here? I’m kind of trying to get away from the whole carnivore thing, and, uh- well, obviously, I don’t eat humans, and even if I did, I guess that would only really leave me with the option of eating you, since there aren’t any other humans hanging around-”

“Isn’t there somebody else you can follow around?” Jensen cuts in, unable to hide the exasperation in his voice. He glances back as Jared as they make it back onto the sidewalk, wondering if he can just snatch his kittens back and bolt. “I mean- there are other wolves in town, right? Shouldn’t you be talking to them, anyways? Making friends or something?”

He’s not sure how he’s expecting Jared to respond, but the goofy grin certainly isn’t it. “Well, yeah, but- I mean, I’ve already said hi to a few of them, and I’ll have loads of time to make other friends, but I just really wanted to meet you. You’re kind of a big deal around here, y’know.”

After several long seconds of staring at the genuine curiosity and happiness on Jared’s face, Jensen’s left with no choice but to begrudgingly accept that Calliope had been right. _Cute._

So he sighs, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. By the way things have gone so far, it doesn’t seem like there’s any hope in staying upset with Jared for any significant amount of time, so he doesn’t waste his energy on trying to maintain it. “I’m just a guy doing a job,” he says. Reaches up to rub at the back of his neck, because he’s not really used to this kind of attention. The people in town respect him, generally, and sometimes the little kids are excited to meet him for the first time, but this is…

“You keep people safe,” Jared tells him, and his voice has gotten a little softer, and it’s hard to meet his eyes when he looks so openly reverent. “That’s something to be proud of.”

That’s about as much as Jensen can take right now, and he clears his throat, reaching out to gently take Atticus and Felix back from Jared. “I, uh- I have to go,” he says, careful as he tucks them away and trying to ignore the tiny sounds of protest. Maybe they were making a new friend, but Jensen’s overwhelmed and he would much prefer to be alone to process this. “I’ve got stuff to do.”

It’s impossible to miss Jared’s disappointment, but he smiles, anyways, when Jensen looks up at him. “But you’ll be back, right? Tomorrow? And you can show me around then, maybe?”

“Maybe.” Jensen just wants to get away right now, so he agrees, and even though that should maybe feel like a mistake… well, it’s more than worth the way that Jared’s face lights up.

“See you then!”

With a quick nod, Jensen’s turning away and heading back in the direction of home, putting aside some of his other errands for the day in favour of giving himself some breathing room. It’s so rare for somebody to be able to throw him so off-balance, and it leaves Jensen confused, keeping his head down as he finds the dirt path to take him back to his cabin and mumbling soothing nonsense to the kittens until they settle down again.

Jared is an enigma; that much goes without question. The fact alone that he would return here after his family had left in the first place is bizarre, and everything else about him seems to match that impression, as well. Most people in town are happy to give Jensen his space, but Jared- Jared hadn’t hesitated to go on ahead and pop his personal bubble, apparently eager to become his friend regardless of any other factors.

He’s consumed with those thoughts for the rest of the day, quiet and brooding while he finishes off his routines. Lunch, dinner, his evening patrol; all of it is saturated with thoughts of Jared, and more than once while he walks the town’s perimeter, he looks over his shoulder, a shift in the breeze or a creaking branch sending him searching for a particular wolf.

Maybe this shouldn’t be throwing him off as much as it is, but he can’t help it. When Jensen closes his eyes that night and sees a bright, happy smile at the backs of his eyelids, he just sighs, focusing on the sounds of the fire and the beat of his own heart.

Maybe by tomorrow, Jared will have forgotten all about him, and he’ll be allowed to return to his normal life, free of distractions and abnormalities. He decides not to wonder about why that thought leaves a bad taste in his mouth, and falls into a dreamless sleep.

Perhaps things would’ve been simpler if they had ended there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Translations:_ skjǫldr = shield.
> 
> Thanks for reading! <33


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd chapter three. There's really no consistency at all to the lengths of these.

It’s another early morning, and by the time Jensen’s making breakfast for himself and the kittens, he’s managed to put Jared somewhere in the back of his mind, no longer dominating his thoughts as he moves through the usual routine. It’s much the same as every other morning, and though he unconsciously braces himself as he goes out for his patrol, nobody interrupts him or tries to tackle him again, and he’s finally able to relax by the time he gets home.

With some errands to make up from yesterday, he’s suited up and ready to head into town by noon, kittens ready for another outing and sun shining overhead when he steps outside. He already knows what his first stop is going to be- after everything having been so strange yesterday, he’s earned himself a proper cup of coffee.

Then again, with yesterday still in mind, Jensen shouldn’t be nearly as surprised as he is when he finds somebody waiting for him at the end of the path to town.

“Morning!” Jared’s just as cheerful as before, cheeks pink in the cool air, looking cozy and content in a thick flannel. Jensen knows for a fact that werewolves run warmer than humans do, so it’s no surprise that he doesn’t even seem to have bothered with a jacket. “I was hoping you would come by!”

Try as he might, Jensen can’t even bring himself to be annoyed. Though it should bother him to some degree that he’s got himself a bit of a stalker- hell, he can’t even properly associate that word with Jared’s bright eyes and excited smile. Pretty much everything about him, however little Jensen may have encountered thus far, is stupidly endearing, and before Jensen can help himself, he’s smiling, too, all caught up in the happy air around Jared.

“Well, uh- here I am,” he agrees with a little shrug. Sees Jared’s eyes dart down to his pockets like he thinks he’s being sneaky and breathes out a laugh, reaching down to gently lift Freyja out of his pocket and offering her up, sleepy and confused as she may be. “You didn’t ask what their names were yesterday.”

If at all possible, Jared perks up even further as that as he accepts the olive branch, taking Freyja into the palm of one of his big hands and cooing at her softly. “They have names?”

Maybe it won’t be such a hassle to take Jared along with him for the day. Just this once.

After he’s been properly introduced to the kittens- all of whom seem more than happy to wake up, if it means playing with their new friend- Jensen starts leading the way into town, talking as he goes. “I, um- I’m sorry I left so quickly yesterday. Kind of had a long night, and-”

“Hey, don’t apologize.” Jared smiles, and he gives Jensen a friendly little nudge. His hands are occupied, once again, Freyja and Felix looking tinier than usual where they’ve curled themselves up between his fingers, but he seems to have no trouble expressing tactility in other ways. “You’re a pretty busy guy, right? Can’t be easy, doing what you do.”

Jensen just shrugs at that, because he’s not sure he wants to get too deep into what really drove him to leave. In hindsight, it seems silly- walking with him now, there’s something about Jared that makes him exceptionally easy to be around, stranger or not. “Still. At least I can make up for it today. You wanted a tour, right? See the sights and whatever?”

“Yeah! Yeah, that’d be awesome.” Jared’s smile is audible in his voice, and it’s infectious, seeping into Jensen’s expression even as he keeps his eyes on the sidewalk under his feet. He has a feeling that it’s going to be damn hard to keep himself from smiling whenever he’s around Jared. “Where are we going first?”

Haunted Grounds is just a couple minutes away, though it technically sits at the farthest end of town from where Jensen lives. It stands out from its neighbours with its sleek, modern façade- it’s all black with white accents and a couple wrought-iron tables outside, matching chairs neatly tucked in where there aren’t people sitting in them. Most of the front wall is plate glass, with an overhang shielding the door from the elements.

Jared seems to be caught staring as they approach, and Jensen glances towards him. “This is… was this here before?”

“It’s about four years old.” He shakes his head, stepping up to the door and opening it up for the both of them. “It was a toy store before that, and- and I think before _that,_ it was some kind of sweets shop?” He considers that for a moment and then shrugs. “The owner just kind of changes it up whenever he feels the urge. I’m hoping he sticks with this for a while, though. Hard to find good coffee in this town.”

The smell of coffee and baked goods is immediately relaxing, and it’s nice to step out of the cold for a moment into the shelter of the little shop. Though the main counter sticks with the exterior aesthetic, hardwood floor and walls of exposed brick give it a cozy feel, a handful of patrons sitting down with their drinks to liven it up further.

“Guess that explains why I don’t remember it,” Jared mumbles, and he sticks close to Jensen’s side as they make their way towards the counter. There’s a teenager Jensen recognizes as Danneel’s nephew working behind the counter, and he waves as the kid glances up, though his attention is mostly on the blender. “Who’s the owner, then?”

“Jared? Jared Padalecki? Is that you?”

Misha is manning the register, like always, the espresso machine behind him visible right through his translucent chest, and he’s leaning forward as the pair of them reach the first spot in line, mostly squinting at Jared. Jensen’s confused, now, and he glances up at Jared to see the sentiment reflected there, along with surprise. “Are… are you a-?”

“Ghost? Phantom, spirit, specter... yes.” Misha gives a heavy sigh and tips himself back, arms over his chest as he nonchalantly hovers in place. He always seems to take some melodramatic pleasure in acquainting people with his own existence. “Alas, I’ve been so heartlessly trapped on this mortal plane, without hope of ever seeing the great beyond. And lo! you don’t even remember me. That’s hurtful.”

Jensen looks back and forth between them like he’s following a game of tennis, and Jared just looks even more hopelessly baffled than before. “You… I… what?”

“Though, then again… I’m sure you were much… _much_ smaller when I last saw you.” Misha hums, and then straightens himself up once more, back to business. “I didn’t think that werewolves ate their vegetables and Wheaties and the rest, but you must be the exception to the rule. I suppose I can forgive you for this slight, seeing how it must have been many years by now since we last met.”

“This is Misha,” Jensen says, because Jared seems like he needs a little bit of assistance here. “Misha Collins. He’s a ghost, as, uh- you might’ve noticed.” Turns his attention to Misha, then, because he wants answers, too. “You’ve met before?”

“That we have, _fríðr skjǫldr_.” Misha hums and rests his chin in his hand, not bothering to settle against the counter. He rarely seems concerned with how closely he resembles the living, these days, and it’s just one of many quirks that make up his personality. “You know I’m no good at watching the calendar, but it must’ve been some time ago for him to have gotten so big. His family used to be part of our local pack, no?”

Jared nods, though he still looks confused. “But… that was decades ago,” he says slowly. “How could you-?”

“Ghost.” Misha gestures to himself grandly, then grins. “It comes with the gig. Now, as much as I’d love to catch up, did you two intend to order?”

“I’ll just have my usual.” Jensen’s already pulling out his wallet, and he glances towards Jared once more, eyebrows raised. “You want anything?”

Maybe that’s enough to snap Jared out of his stupor, because he nods, clearing his throat. Takes a moment to very gently deposit Freyja into his breast pocket before offering Felix back to Jensen, presumably because he wants his hands free. “Uh… you serve iced coffee?”

Misha keeps a perfectly straight face as he takes down their orders on a notepad that appears out of thin air, glancing up at Jared and pausing before he speaks. “Care for any sugar… or scream?”

He’s met with more confused silence, and just heaves another sigh a moment later. “Right, one iced coffee, black, and one americano, coming right up.”

He drifts off towards the machines to start putting their drinks together, and Jared turns to face Jensen as they wait, visibly perplexed. “He… that wasn’t just me, right?”

“Not just you,” Jensen says dryly, digging around in his wallet for a moment while they wait. He drops some spare change into the jar labelled “tip your barista, or it’ll haunt you!” He’s not all _that_ superstitious, and the local economy isn't really tied to any kind of currency, but it doesn’t hurt. “He’s a little weird. You’ll get used to it.” Glances towards Misha where he fiddles with the kettle and shakes his head. “Besides, the guy makes a damn good cup of coffee.”

Jared seems happy enough to accept that and move on, and by the time Misha returns with their cups and sets them on the counter- he told Jensen once, years ago, that he didn’t like making contact with other people unless he was intentionally trying to scare them- Jared’s back to his cheerful self, grabbing a straw for his drink and waving as they turn to leave. “See you!”

Jensen lingers behind for a moment as Misha gives him a look, and raises his eyebrows. “What?”

“Made yourself a friend, huh?” Misha hums. “Funny. I didn’t think you were any good at that, with your whole… mysterious lone ranger thing.”

Jensen scowls and wishes that elbowing a ghost had the same effect as elbowing somebody more corporeal. “Shut up.”

“Jensen?” Jared’s already made it to the door, and he waves. “C’mon, we’ve got lots to see!”

“Good luck with him,” Misha says dryly, and there’s amusement on his face when Jensen glances back. “He used to come in here a lot when I sold candy. Needless to say, his favourite pastime was always bouncing off the walls.” He shakes his head and waves Jensen off. “Go on, don’t keep him waiting.”

Jensen just stares for a second before shaking his head and turning to join Jared once more. The reminder that Jared had spent the early years of his childhood here makes Jensen wonder how nearly they’d missed each other; granted, Jensen hadn’t been focused on making friends when he’d first arrived, so it’s plausible that Jared’s family was still here when he’d stumbled upon the town.

No matter. Maybe he’ll figure it out if it comes up later, but right now, it seems that he’s got a tour to lead.

“What do you want to see, anyways?” Jensen asks once they’re side-by-side again. Jared’s leading the way, now, sipping iced coffee through his straw and clearly already full of energy. “Do you even know where you’re going?”

“I want to see everything,” Jared tells him, and when he turns to glance back at Jensen, he’s grinning, again. “Like- what’s up here? That’s a pretty fancy-looking gate.”

Jensen catches up so they can walk together instead of Jared blindly moving ahead, and looks where his new friend is pointing. “Cemetery,” he responds, and looks up to see Jared’s confusion. “Yeah, I always thought it was weird to keep it so close to town, but… well, guess you’ve just got to learn not to question some stuff.”

Deadwood Creek’s cemetery isn’t very large. It stretches far back from the little road, right to the edge of the forest and even creeping into its borders, with a wrought-iron gate keeping it neatly contained. Given all the undead citizens who call this place their home, it shouldn’t be all that surprising anymore that the local graveyard is a little underpopulated.

Jared still seems amazed, though, and he wanders right up to the fence, fingers curling gently around a delicate iron rose. Stays quiet for a second. Jensen just watches him, trying to read his expression.

“I guess death isn’t always the end around here, huh?”

It’s not what Jensen’s expecting, but he just nods, looking out into the cemetery. It’s different than the ones he knows from the human world, more nature dominating its grounds than the usual carefully-trimmed lawns that he’s seen in other places, and he’s always thought that it seems more appropriate this way. “Not always, no.”

Jared nods, and he stays quiet for another few seconds before taking a breath and turning away. “Well… still a depressing way to start off,” he says, then shakes his head quickly. “Lead the way.”

Jensen watches him for a short moment, trying to analyze the brief moment of sobriety, but decides to leave it alone. No need to stir up something that isn’t there. “You want to see some of the other shops?”

Jared nods, and that’s enough for Jensen to start heading in that direction. Jared brightens considerably once they’ve made it away from the cemetery and goes back to sipping his drink, even paying some attention to Freyja where she’s still curled up in his pocket. He seems to be in better spirits, anyways, which makes it a little easier for Jensen to breathe, and that in itself warrants some thought. He’s already tuned himself in to Jared’s emotions, concerning himself with keeping the other man happy, and shouldn’t that be a little worrying?

He decides not to linger on it, much preferring the option where he does as he’s promised and shows Jared around town. There’s no harm in wanting to make a good impression.

“A lot of the local witches have set up shop around here,” Jensen explains once they’ve reached some of the local boutiques. The window displays offer everything from the sorts of enchanted wares Danneel sells to clothes, spell books, and home décor. “This area is mostly the speciality shops and that kind of stuff. Down that way…” He points down the street as Jared listens with rapt attention. “There’s some more general stuff. You saw the supermarket yesterday. There’s a bakery, a clinic, some other little shops…” He trails off with a shrug. “I mean, it’s not a very big town. There isn’t a whole lot to see.”

Jared still looks fascinated, though, and he’s nodding along with Jensen’s every word. Jensen has a sneaking suspicion that he intends to visit every single shop for himself as soon as he gets the chance. “Which ones are your favourites? Besides the coffee place, I mean.”

That actually gets Jensen thinking for a minute, and he takes the chance to start walking again, expecting Jared to follow as he begins to make his way towards the center of town. Having seen most of its offerings along the streets, he figures he might as well introduce Jared to the park. “I guess I spend a lot of time in Brewmsticks. Um- weird name, I know, but it’s run by a friend of mine. She likes to check in on the kittens, too, so it works out nicely.”

Jared nods along thoughtfully and Jensen leads him into the park, following the little footpath towards a bench that sits out of the way, tucked under an old maple tree. He sits, and Jared joins him, and it’s kind of nice. He’s used to sitting here alone, just watching other people as they wander through or spend time with their friends. “D’you like this place, too?”

“Yeah.” Jensen doesn’t need to think about his answer that time, nodding as he carefully tucks his hands into his pockets. Felix and Atticus seem to be sleeping, so he’s able to curl his hands around them gently for warmth without disturbing them. “It’s pretty. And it’s nice when I want to be around people without having to… well, be _with_ them, you know?”

Though he seems like a textbook extrovert, Jared nods again, leaning back and looking up towards the sky overhead. Jensen turns to watch him, just in time for little Freyja to poke her head out of Jared’s pocket, tiny paws kneading at his chest in search of attention. “Guess it’s nice to have peace and quiet every now and then.”

Jensen nods, and the two of them fall quiet for a while after that. Jared makes for surprisingly good company, his cheerful disposition just making the park all the more pleasant. As much as he’d been worrying about Jared following him around like this… Jensen can’t deny that he’s already getting a bit of a soft spot. It’s hard not to like Jared, especially at a moment like this. Maybe it won’t be all that bad having him around.

“If you’ve got ghosts around here,” Jared says suddenly, sounding like he’s on the edge of some incredible breakthrough, “do you have like… zombies, too? Because that would be _awesome_.”

It might take some getting used to, but- yeah. Jensen thinks he’ll be able to live with this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Translations:_ fríðr = lovely/handsome/fair.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D I don't really have much to say. I'm just excited about this fic. Still.

After a week of growing used to Jared’s company during his outings to town, Jensen has slowly worked his new friend into his regular daily routine. He’ll wake up, make breakfast, do his rounds, and then head into town, where Jared will meet him and, inevitably, stay by his side until he returns home for the evening. It’s become comfortably familiar, and Jensen happens to enjoy familiarity- he’s only human, after all.

That being said, it’s rather concerning when he walks into town one morning and finds that Jared is nowhere to be seen.

He thinks, at first, that he must be early, but glancing at his watch, it’s around the same time that he always arrives after going about the usual start to his day. He even waits there for a couple minutes, in the hopes that Jared might appear, but it quickly becomes apparent that it isn’t going to happen. Slowly, and with a sense of worry in his chest that’s hard to quell, Jensen starts walking further into town all by himself, not even taking the time to marvel that something that had been so commonplace for him mere days ago has now thrown a sharp sense of discomfort into his morning.

Maybe it’s just a matter of asking around. By now, most of the townspeople have met Jared, or have at least come to recognize him as Jensen’s shadow, so if he’s been around at all this morning, then somebody should be able to tell Jensen as much.

Even with that in mind, he can’t stop his worrying as he makes his way towards Danneel’s shop. He doesn’t even really need to go there, strictly speaking, but her presence is familiar and she might be able to point him to wherever Jared’s occupying himself, so it’s where his feet take him and as the bell over her door rings to announce his entrance, he’s already talking, unable to disguise the worry in his voice. “Dani, have you seen-”

“Jensen! Hi!”

He’s cut off by none other than the oversized puppy he’s been so worried about, Jared grinning at him from where he’s leaning against the counter across from Danneel. She looks amused, especially when she meets Jensen’s eyes and her smile grows. “Morning, _skjǫldr_. Have I seen who?”

Jensen stares for a few seconds before managing to come further inside, letting the door close behind him as he moves to join his friends. “Nobody. Jared, what’re you doing here?”

“You told me to check out all the shops,” Jared tells him, matter-of-fact. Doesn’t seem at all concerned with the abnormality of this entire situation. “So… I have been! While you’re at home, I’ve been going to all of them and seeing what they sell, and now I’m here. And so are you!” He pauses, then, frowns a little bit. “Wait- why are you here? You’re not supposed to be in town yet.”

The baffling statement is explained when Jared looks down at his own watch and his eyes go wide, making a sound of distress. “Oh, crap- I didn’t realize how late it was!” He looks up to meet Jensen’s eyes, then, and he’s moving, suddenly, closing the distance between them so he can take Jensen’s hands in his own. Jensen is too bewildered to protest. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t where I was supposed to be! I wasn’t trying to stand you up. We just got to talking, and I lost track of the time, and-”

“Jared,” Jensen interrupts, and he waits until his friend’s mouth is properly closed before speaking. “It’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong, okay?”

Jared squints at him a little like he’s not entirely sure whether or not he believes that, but after a few seconds of intense eye contact, he breaks into a sunny smile, nodding happily. “Okay,” he agrees, and lets go of Jensen’s hands, slipping right into his usual routine of stealing a couple kittens from Jensen’s pockets- Atticus stays with Jensen, this time- and nuzzling against them. “Well- good morning!”

“Morning,” Jensen replies dryly, and he looks past Jared to Danneel, raising his eyebrows slightly at her knowing expression. “What?”

“Nothing,” she replies, but she’s still smiling, clearly finding something of interest as Jared throws his arm around Jensen’s shoulders and continues to say good morning to the kittens, who seem plenty happy to soak up the attention. “I’m just glad I finally got to meet your new… friend.”

Her tone is puzzling at best and downright suspicious at worst. Jensen squints at her for a few seconds before Jared, hanging all over him, draws his attention once more. “Danneel was telling me more about your job and stuff.”

“Was she?” Jensen glances between the two of them, curious more than anything else. It’s not like what he does is a secret; it’s common knowledge among the townspeople, and it’s fair that Jared would have questions about it. Truth be told, he’s surprised it hasn’t come up in their own conversations thus far. “What’d she say?”

“That you save people.” Jared gives him a solemn look, glancing towards Danneel once and nodding. “And you protect the town and everything. I kinda knew the gist of it, but…”

“I can tell you more,” Jensen offers before even thinking about it, and surprises himself as much as it seems to surprise Jared. “I mean- if you want to know. If you’re curious.”

But Jared’s already nodding, and he’s smiling again, and he glances towards the door. “Maybe we can go walking. I don’t want to take up any more of your time.”

It’s directed at Danneel, and she smiles, waving them off. “I’m happy to have you,” she promises. “But walking is always nice. You two run off, I’ll be here if you need anything.”

Jared grins again and thanks her, and then they’re headed towards the door- Jensen barely has the presence of mind to duck out from Jared’s arm so he can walk on his own accord- and when he glances back towards Danneel one more time, she winks at him, and it just leaves him confused. She must be seeing something that he isn’t- nothing new there- but whatever the reason, he decides it’s for the best not to dwell on it.

Though they aren’t quite touching anymore, Jared hangs close to Jensen’s side as they walk, and though he hesitates to admit it to himself, Jensen doesn’t mind one bit. It’s kind of nice, actually, especially with the way their arms sometimes bump as they walk. Comforting, in a way. Familiar.

“So… your job,” Jared speaks up, and Jensen looks towards him. “What else is there? I guess I don’t know all that much about it.”

Jensen stays quiet for a moment as he tries to figure out where to begin. Ultimately, it’s this morning’s mishap and the thought of their unspoken routine that gives him an idea.

“Every morning and every night, I do a patrol at our borders,” he starts, and he can feel Jared’s eyes on him, curious and attentive. “For the most part, it’s just to check that everything’s the way it’s supposed to be, but it’s also to make sure that nobody’s coming into town who isn’t supposed to be here. Other humans, basically.”

Jared nods along, looks excited. “That’s where we first met, right?”

Jensen hardly needs the reminder to remember that particular encounter. “Yeah. I was doing my morning route. You made it a little more exciting, so I’ll give you that.”

Jared sounds sheepish when he laughs, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. Freyja and Felix both fit in his one free hand, and Jensen’s stuck staring for a moment as he tries to comprehend that. “Yeah, um- sorry? I didn’t realize you were working.”

Despite himself, Jensen smiles. “You definitely made sure I was awake, so that’s something.”

That’s got Jared smiling again, and they’re both quiet for a few minutes. Unbidden, Jensen’s feet lead him to the park, and Jared doesn’t question it, the pair of them ending up at that same bench and sitting down together, knees just barely touching. Jared’s the one who breaks the silence as he speaks up once more. “What happens if… somebody comes into town? A human, I mean?”

There’s a touch of hesitance in his voice, and Jensen’s reminded once more of what drove Jared’s family to leave in the first place. He looks over towards his friend, watches the way he’s petting the kittens for a moment. “It depends,” he replies honestly. “If they’re just here by mistake, it’s easy enough to turn them around and send them back. If they get close enough to see something they shouldn’t- well…” He pauses long enough to reach into his jacket, pulling free one of the tiny flasks he carries for this exact purpose. “Dani helped me put this together. It jumbles up their memories, so they won’t come back. Doesn’t do any damage, and keeps them clear of town.”

He hesitates, then, shifts a little bit in place. “Usually those are the kinds of people who come by, but- I don’t know. Sometimes word get out, and people- hunters, maybe- try to find the town. They want to hurt people, or kill them, and I…” He can’t allow that. Not with his job, and not with how much he cares about everyone here. “It gets violent with them, sometimes, but I don’t kill them. It’s just about overpowering them so I can make them drink this.”

He’s careful as he tucks away the little serum again, nervous as he looks towards Jared. It’s not until now that Jensen becomes conscious of how important Jared’s opinion of him is, and that thought in itself is a surprise that he ought to analyze later. Jared, though, for his part, looks rather unconcerned, even smiling a little bit.

“I don’t like hurting people,” Jensen adds for good measure. Clears his throat a bit and looks down at the little lump in his pocket where Atticus is wiggling around. “I don’t want to be like… before.”

“You’re not.” Jared says it with such conviction that Jensen has to look up, and it’s plenty worth it to see the kind smile he’s wearing. “I can tell. You’re a good guy.”

That warms something in Jensen’s chest and he can’t help the way he smiles, even as he looks away. He’s got no good explanation for the effect that Jared is having on him, and at this rate, it’s going to be an issue. “Well, uh- thanks, Jared.” Clears his throat gently, tries to move on. “Uh, anyway- besides all that stuff, I get to take care of these guys.” He rests his hand gently on the Atticus-shaped lump in his pocket and smiles when he hears a little mewl in response. “Any familiars in town who are too young for their partners. It’s my job to raise them until they’re old enough to- well, to do their jobs, I guess.”

That gets Jared cooing, and the mood lightens, letting Jensen smile properly again. “That’s adorable,” he says seriously, and when Jensen looks at him, he’s brought Freyja up to his face for closer inspection, unblinking when she reaches out and taps his nose with her tiny paw. “You’re gonna be a little witch’s best friend, huh?”

Watching Jared talk to the kittens is something that Jensen’s sure he’ll never get tired of, and for now, he’s happy to do just that, smiling to himself and stroking his thumb between Atticus’ ears.

Their conversation shifts to more lighthearted topics as the morning goes on, the two of them staying right where they are with the kittens and people-watching to entertain them. Jensen teaches Jared the names of a few townspeople who wander by, and by the time the sun is high overhead and Jared’s stomach rumbles loudly, Jensen figures they ought to find something to eat.

“There are a couple little restaurants,” he explains as they stand. Jared still looks sheepish for his stomach’s volume, but Jensen isn’t bothered. “Anything you’re in the mood for?”

Jared purses his lips for a moment, then looks at Jensen, waggling his eyebrows playfully. “Anywhere that serves human?”

“Nope,” Jensen says without missing a beat, and Jared laughs. “I bet we can find you a nice steak, though. Made of cow. Not people.”

A dramatic sigh, and Jensen nods. “If I must,” he agrees solemnly. “Lead the way.”

That’s how they end up at the Iron Wolf, a little restaurant-slash-bar not far from the park. Stepping inside and getting a good whiff of whatever’s cooking is enough to get Jensen’s stomach grumbling, too, and Jared laughs at him, giving him a little nudge as they wait to be seated. “Hungry?”

Jensen just rolls his eyes at that and focuses on the girl who shows up to bring them to their seats- Sandy, one of the local wolves. “For two?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Jensen nods and doesn’t miss the look she gives the pair of them before grabbing a couple menus and turning to lead them inside. Looks up towards Jared at his side, curious. “Have you guys already met?”

Jared hums and gives a little nod of agreement. “Yeah. I’ve met the whole pack. I guess a few of them knew my parents, ‘cause they seem happy enough to let me join in.”

That has Jensen wondering all over again about why Jared’s latching onto him, in particular- though everybody in Deadwood Creek mingles pretty evenly, there’s doubtlessly a preference among groups to stick with their own kind. It’s hard to overcome instincts, especially in such group dynamics as a wolf pack, but Jared seems to the be the odd one out in more ways than one, perhaps due to the fact that he wasn’t raised in that environment. It leaves Jensen quiet and thoughtful as they’re seated, not looking at much of anything in particular until Jared waves for his attention.

“So what’s good here?” he’s asking, and Jensen blinks himself out of his thoughts, setting his menu down. He’s enough of a regular to already know what he’s going to order. “You mentioned steak, right? I heard about this place, but I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, so…”

“Steak, yeah.” Jensen nods, gesturing to the menu that looks smaller than it should in Jared’s hands. “Lots of good stuff. The filet mignon is really nice, if you like bacon-wrapped… well, anything-”

He cuts himself off as somebody approaches, glancing up to see their server. It’s another familiar face, and one that makes Jensen smile, automatically set at ease. “Chris, hey.”

“Funny seeing you here.” Chris smiles right back at him, hair neatly pulled back while he’s on the job, almost as big as Jared when he’s standing. Though most of the people in town are familiar, and have been for most of Jensen’s life, Chris is an old friend, somebody he properly gets along with besides a passing sort of acquaintance. “And you brought a friend?”

Jensen’s reminded of Jared’s presence, then, and he glances across the table. “Yeah, uh- Jared, Chris. Chris, Jared. You’ve met already, though, right?”

“Right,” Chris agrees, and he’s smiling when Jensen looks back at him. “The Padaleckis go back generations in this town, so it’s nice to have them back. Didn’t know you two were hanging out, though.”

“Yeah, well…” Jensen shrugs. He doesn’t have much of an explanation for it, either. “Guess we are.”

Chris nods, thoughtful, then pulls out his notepad, pen at the ready. “Anyways, can I get you guys anything to drink?” Pauses as he takes a moment to wink at Jensen. “You got the little ones with you?”

As if summoned, Atticus pokes his head out of Jensen’s pocket, giving a few sleepy blinks before trying to crawl right out of his spot. Jensen’s sheepish in his smile, but doesn’t bother trying to hide it. Given the nature of the people who run the restaurant, there’s hardly a strict policy on animals. “Yeah. Maybe some water for them? And I’ll have some, too.”

“Do you want yours in a bowl, too?” Chris is grinning, and reaches out to scratch under Atticus’ chin for a moment. “You should bring ‘em by more often. I miss the little guys.”

Jensen laughs and promises to do just that, and a moment later, after getting an absent nod from Jared as to whether he’d like a glass of water, as well, Chris is heading off, leaving the two of them alone again. Jared has been suspiciously quiet through the whole exchange, and when Jensen looks his way, he’s surprised and confused to find a sullen look on his friend’s face, even as he cradles both of the other kittens in one arm, seemingly intent on focusing all of his attention on them. “You alright?”

Jared doesn’t look up right away, which is strange enough all in itself. Maybe Jensen’s gotten too used to his constant attention too quickly, because the fact that he seems to have lost it for the moment kind of hurts. When Jared speaks, it’s quietly, and he’s still staring down at the little furballs in his arms. “You guys seem close.”

It’s not exactly the answer that Jensen’s looking for, and he just stares for a few seconds, confused. “Uh… I mean, kind of? I guess?” He doesn’t get what Jared’s problem is. “We’re friends. What about it?”

He doesn’t get a response, and he’s left watching Jared, confused and worried as they wait for their drinks. He hasn’t seen his friend like this before, and though they’ve only known each other for a few days, it isn’t hard to tell that this is far outside of his usual behaviour. He’s about to start prying again, wanting to at least understand what’s causing this, but Chris chooses that moment to reappear, setting two glasses and three saucers of water on the table in front of them.

“Here you go, guys,” he says cheerfully, apparently unconcerned with whatever strange aura Jared is giving off right now. “You ready to order?”

Jensen takes a moment to free Atticus from his pocket so he can go ahead and get himself something to drink, and then he’s looking at Jared again, frowning a little. “We might still need a couple minutes, Chris. Haven’t gone over the whole menu yet.”

“Sure, no problem.” A shrug, and then Chris’ hand lands on Jensen’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You take as much time as you need. Let me know when you’re ready.”

Jensen doesn’t miss the way that Jared visibly stiffens, and it’s not until Chris leaves them alone once more that he speaks up, keeping his voice low. “Hey, what’s your problem? Did you sit on a thumbtack or something?”

Jared snorts. “I’m not the one with the problem,” he mutters, and he still won’t look at Jensen, apparently occupied with the way he’s watching the kittens so intently, all three of them on the table now as they butt heads over the same water dish. “He’s the one who’s hanging all over you.”

“Hanging all over-?” Jensen gapes at him for a few seconds, trying to pick apart the sour expression on Jared’s face before it hits him. “Are you… _jealous?_ ”

“No.” The way that Jared sinks a little lower into his seat and won’t meet Jensen’s eyes tells a different story. “I just don’t think he should be so…” He makes a vague motion with his hand, and Jensen raises his eyebrows. “You know.”

Every second that passes seeing Jared like this just leaves Jensen a little more baffled. “What, because he touched me?” It’s the only thing that makes some measure of sense. “Aren’t werewolves like… tactile by nature? You do the same thing.”

If Jared’s sullen little pout is anything to go by, he’s well-aware of that very fact. “That’s different.”

“No, it isn’t.” Jensen heaves a sigh and tries to figure out how to approach this, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table. “Jared, look. Chris is my friend. Dani’s my friend, too. I might not be the most social guy in the world, but I’ve got a few of them, and that’s just- that’s just how friends act, okay? I don’t know what your deal is with this, but you can’t get all sulky every time somebody’s nice to me.”

Jared huffs a little bit, very much still sulking. “I wasn’t sulky with Danneel.”

“That’s not the point.” He hesitates for a short moment, then reaches across the table so he can touch Jared’s arm, ignoring the way that Freyja immediately tries to climb up towards his shoulder. “Jared, we’re friends. I like you. But you can’t get all… weird and possessive like this, okay? I don’t know what’s going on in that wolfy head of yours, but you have to chill out a bit.”

Jared still don’t look at him, but- but as Jensen watches, his expression changes, and he shifts in place, and now he’s just looking guilty. Bites his lip and everything. Shit. “Sorry,” he mumbles after a few more seconds of silence, and he looks every bit the kicked puppy. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to.” He hesitates for a short moment, and then he finally looks up at Jensen, tentative hope in his expression. “You really think we’re friends?”

And hell if Jensen can be upset when Jared looks at him like that. “Yeah,” he sighs, and he squeezes Jared’s arm, just a little bit. Thinks it’s more than worth the tiny smile that grows and the way that Jared’s hand is fumbling for his a moment later, apparently eager for the contact. “I think we are.”

That puts a proper smile back on Jared’s face, and Jensen breathes a little easier for it, not even bothering to pull his hand back once Chris returns to take their orders. Though Jared’s grip tightens minutely, he smiles and chats and goes right back to his cheerful self, ordering himself a steak and watching Jensen with a distant, happy look in his eyes that’s a little difficult to face head-on.

If this is what it takes to keep Jared happy- to reassure him that their relationship is important, whatever it might be- then maybe it won’t be so tough to keep him around. Maybe it’s worth moulding his schedule around his new friend, if only to see where things will go from here.

Besides, with the warm roughness of Jared’s fingers curled so tight around his own, Jensen’s not sure that he’ll be willing to give this up without a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the angst begins.

From then on out, Jared continues to be a constant companion when Jensen ventures into town. He’s always there on time, now, apparently having committed Jensen’s schedule to memory, and he’s always just as excited to spend time together, offering no shortage of cheerful conversation and always serving to make the day seem a little bit brighter.

Over his years spent in this town, Jensen’s gotten used to being alone much of the time, outside of the friends he encounters during his daily errands. He tends to prefer solitude, with just his small collection of charges to watch out for, but with Jared having entered his life… having Jared around is _different_. Better. They’re such wildly different people, and their friendship might not make very much sense to an outside observer, but Jensen finds himself smiling more often now, constantly in lighter spirits. Jared’s sweet, too, and fundamentally good in a way that’s hard to miss. He’s even made an effort to back off when other weres talk to Jensen- he still goes tense when they approach, sometimes, some kind of born instinct to protect what he thinks is his, but when Jensen looks his way, he’ll visibly calm himself, making an effort not to repeat what happened with Chris. It helps that he’s started spending more time with them, too, when Jensen isn’t around, and though he might not be an official part of the local pack, his family ties to the town make him as good as.

As much as Jensen is getting used to Jared hanging around, it’s still a surprise when he leaves the cabin one morning for his patrol and is met by a rather large wolf sitting just past his front porch, its ears perking up when he steps outside.

“Jared?” he asks, as though there’s anybody else it could be. Still, Jared hops to his feet and prances over, nosing at Jensen’s pockets, and it takes him a moment to understand. “I don’t bring them with me when I’m working. What’re you doing here?”

Jared just huffs at that and sits down again, looking at Jensen intently. Not having yet mastered the power of mind-reading, Jensen’s left to make the obvious guess. “You want to come with me?”

If the way Jared jumps up to lick his face is of any indication, he’s guessed correctly.

“Alright, alright,” and he can’t quite help laughing, even as he tries to stop the assault. “Okay, you can tag along. You have to follow my lead, though, okay? And no messing around. This is important.”

Only once he’s received an affirmative nod does Jensen wipe the dog drool off his face and start walking, casting a few glances in Jared’s direction as the wolf pads alongside him.  If nothing else, it can’t hurt to have a little company, especially since he’s been growing so fond of Jared over the past couple weeks.

As it turns out, he makes for a great companion for the patrol, perhaps because he can’t talk when he’s in this form. He’s relatively quiet, and Jensen knows damn well that Jared’s got sharper senses than he does, anyways. It’s no burden to make the walk with a partner, a warm snout bumping into his hand every now and again, and oddly enough, he feels more refreshed than usual when they finally return to the cabin.

“You know,” Jensen hums, and he’s already in high spirits, ready to face whatever the day tries to throw at him, “that actually wasn’t so bad. Maybe you should start tagging along more often. If you wanted to, I mean-”

He turns to face Jared as he speaks, looking down as he’s grown accustomed to over the last hour so he can meet his friend’s eyes where he stands as a wolf, but instead, he finds himself faced with somebody distinctly human… and distinctly _naked_.

It doesn’t help that he’s now looking directly at Jared’s-

“Yeah, that would be fun!” Jared chirps, and Jensen manages to tear his eyes away with some effort to look up, instead, finding the sunny smile on his friend’s face. “I didn’t realize how far you walk for these things. It’s pretty good exercise, though, and I bet I could smell bad guys coming before you could, anyways-”

“Jared,” Jensen says, and his voice comes out a little more strained than it really ought to. His face is warm and he’s very consciously keeping his eyes fixed on Jared’s face and _absolutely nothing else_ , and- shit, why is he getting so worked up about this? “You- you’re, uh-”

“Human? Oh, yeah.” Jared grins and gives an easy shrug as he completely misses the point. “I’m pretty good at shifting really smoothly now. It was harder when I was a kid, and it hurt the first couple times, but these days, it’s not really a big deal-”

“You’re naked.” Jensen forces the words out and he must be blushing even worse for it, and god, maybe he should’ve just played it off. “You, uh- you should put some pants on, or…”

“Oh! Right, sorry. Got it.” And Jared is _still_ smiling, if a little more sheepishly than before, and he reaches up to rub at the back of his neck, glancing towards the door to Jensen’s cabin. “Except, uh, I didn’t really bring anything to wear, since wolves don’t really wear pants or anything, so-”

“I’ll lend you something.” Jensen’s quick to turn back to the cabin, eager to put his eyes anywhere that isn’t six-foot-something of bare skin, more so to hide his blush and try to will it out of existence. “I’ve probably got… I don’t know, sweats or something that’ll fit you, and…”

He trails off in favour of fumbling with the door for a few seconds before remembering that it’s locked, and then he’s left to dig the key out of his pocket, all the while vividly aware of Jared standing behind him, wearing absolutely nothing. Just the thought of it threatens his fine motor skills, and it takes much longer than it should to get the door unlocked and opened before he’s leading the way inside.

Jared follows right behind him, and he makes a thoughtful sound as they enter, apparently unconcerned by Jensen’s embarrassment. “I’ve never actually seen your place yet. This is cozy.”

Jensen doesn’t say anything to that, too focused on going straight to his dresser with the intent to find literally anything that’ll cover up the important bits of Jared. He doesn’t have anything else on his mind until some needy mewls pipe up from across the room, immediately followed by Jared “aww”-ing at them and, presumably, going over to pick them up, and-

“Hey, hold on!” Jensen’s hurrying over in that direction quicker than his thoughts about the whole situation can even register with him, and he elbows his way past Jared to scoop up all three of the kittens and hold them against his chest, shielding their eyes. “You’re naked!”

When Jensen looks at him accusingly, Jared just blinks. “Um… didn’t we already establish that?”

Jensen grumbles and turns away once more, holding his tiny charges close and moving towards the dresser once more. “They’re just babies. You can’t go being naked around them.”

There’s silence for a few seconds, and it gives Jensen the chance to tuck the kittens into his pockets to free up his hands and go looking for some pants. Jared’s laughing a moment later, though, and Jensen has to fight to keep his eyes on what he’s doing. “They’re cats.”

“And you’re a werewolf,” Jensen shoots back, digging blindly through his drawers. He’s sure there’s something in here that’ll fit Jared, long-legged bastard that he is. “A naked werewolf. Who isn’t wearing any pants.”

“You’re not wrong about that.”

Jensen is, thankfully, left in peace for the next few seconds that it takes him to find a suitable pair of pants, and he’s able to pull out some old basketball shorts. He tosses them back towards Jared without looking, and keeps his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him for the time being. “Here, put these on. If you’re gonna keep coming with me in the morning, then you’re gonna have to start keeping some clothes here. That’s not a request.”

There’s some shuffling behind him before Jared speaks. “I’m decent,” he promises, and Jensen turns around slowly to see that he has, in fact, pulled on the shorts. It’s a minute improvement, but forces Jensen to instead acknowledge that _all_ of Jared’s body is far more appealing than it has any right to be. Flat stomach, clearly-defined muscle, sharp hipbones. It’s hard not to stare. “And yeah, I can leave some stuff here. Do I get a whole drawer to myself?”

“I… you know what? Sure.” Jensen doesn’t have it in him to argue right now, and when Jared gives him a hopeful smile, he sighs heavily and steps closer so he can hand over the kittens. They’ve all gotten rather attached to Jared since meeting him in the first place, and- hell. Jensen can’t blame them, either. They’re not the only ones to have gotten sucked in. “If it means you won’t be walking into my house naked anymore, then yeah. You can have a drawer.”

Jared grins at him, but then he’s distracted with the kittens and ends up sitting down right there, in the middle of the floor, leaving Jensen to just watch him for a moment in silence. He’s got eyes; it’s not like he’s been blind to Jared’s physical attractiveness thus far, but it’s much harder to avoid thinking about it when so much of him is on display. He works his jaw and slowly moves to sit down at his desk, not quite ready to look away.

Jared is definitely a puzzle he’s yet to solve; somebody who Jensen still isn’t entirely sure how to qualify in the grand scheme of his life. He’s got friends, of course, and by all reason, Jared should fit neatly into that box, but… something sets him apart that Jensen isn’t ready to identify. The longer they spend together, the more comfortable he gets with his new friend’s presence- it all feels like It’s leading up to something greater, and that’s scary, in and of itself. Of everything he was taught by _skjǫldr_ Morgan before him, one of the most vital rules was the importance of solitude. He has very plainly laid out responsibilities, as every _skjǫldr_ before him, but among them sits the understanding that he’s meant to walk this path alone. Until the day comes that his successor finds their way to Deadwood Creek, and it’s his turn to pass on his knowledge to the next generation, his entire range of focus is supposed to be on keeping this town safe. On fulfilling his duties.

His friendships with the townspeople, he’s allowed. Anything more is forbidden.

“Jensen? Hey, you alright?”

Jared’s voice is what pulls his free from that train of thought, and Jensen blinks, focusing once more on the man sitting on his floor. Cross-legged, mostly naked, and cradling three black kittens in his arms.

For now, it’s easy not to think too much about the future.

“I’m fine,” he says, clearing his throat gently. “Sorry, I just… zoned out for a minute.”

Jared smiles tentatively at him, giving a small nod. “I was just gonna ask if you had any plans today. I know you normally go into town and everything, but…” He trails off for a moment, then shrugs, oddly bashful. “I was thinking we could just hang out or something. It doesn’t have to be here, but… I just want to spend some more time with you, I guess.” He pauses for a short moment, then lifts up his armful of kittens with a grin. “And these cute little furballs, of course.”

Slowly, but surely, the tension seeps out of Jensen’s shoulders, and he’s able to smile, too, trying to allow himself to relax, and to disregard the warmth that Jared’s simple words builds in his chest. “I guess that would be alright, yeah. Let’s do it.”

The way that Jared’s face lights up is more than worth the tiny part of Jensen’s mind that whispers what a horrible idea this is. That he should stop getting close to Jared; rip this out by its roots before it goes too far and somebody gets hurt.

He makes an effort to silence that voice, and leans back in his chair, instead.

“So, what do you want to do?”

There’s no harm in spending some time with a new friend. That’s what he tries to tell himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An eventful chapter maybe. :>

Jared becomes a constant companion on Jensen’s patrols, as well as in every other aspect of his life. The other townspeople start to take notice, too, and Jensen finds himself on the receiving end of more than a few knowing looks. Danneel even brings it up once, on a rare occasion that Jared isn’t glued to his side.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to… you know.” She raises her eyebrows at him, obviously interested. “Doesn’t it go against your code of honour or whatever?”

“I’m not- it isn’t like that.” Jensen makes a face and finds himself glancing over his shoulder, like Jared will appear and interrupt the conversation. They’re thoughts that have been taking up more and more space in his mind recently, no matter how hard he fights to ignore them. “He’s my friend. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Are you sure?” She leans in a little closer, and she looks worried, now, and Jensen hates it. “You might want to tell Jared that.” Jensen’s confused look is apparently enough to prompt her to continue. “He only meant to come here for a week, Jensen. Maybe two. Just enough to visit. I’ve got one guess as to why he hasn’t left yet.”

Jensen’s chest tightens with the thought of Jared leaving, but he sets his jaw and shrugs. “He likes the town. He can make friends with his own kind here. Same reason everybody else sticks around.”

Danneel’s expression is dangerously close to pity, but she doesn’t try to correct him. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, _mǫgr_. And I don’t know that this can end any other way.”

Jensen doesn’t answer her, opting instead to turn and walk away. He can feel Danneel’s eyes on him as he leaves the shop, but he ignores that in favour of figuring out where Jared’s run off to, instead.

He finds more and more of his time being occupied by Jared’s presence, and as that time passes, they get closer, too; Jared’s been tactile from the get-go, and slowly, Jensen starts to accept it, no longer avoiding the affection and often choosing, instead, to actively encourage it. It obviously makes Jared happy, and- hell, Jensen would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it, too. There’s a lot he’s grown up without, doing this job, and casual intimacy might top the list. He gets used to it a little too quickly, leaning into Jared’s touch like he’s seeking out more, no matter how hard he tries to convince himself otherwise.

Danneel’s warnings stick with him, no matter how hard he tries to push them away.

Jared’s been in town for several weeks before anything terribly out of the ordinary happens. Jensen’s leading the way through his usual evening patrol, the sun long set and Jared padding along at his side, and things seem, for the most part, as peaceful as they ever are. It’s not until Jared goes tense that it even occurs to Jensen that anything is wrong, but the low growl his friend emits- he finds himself going still, ears straining to pick up on whatever’s set him off, and-

There.

It’s faint, still- Jared can hear much better than he can, especially in his four-legged form- but Jensen picks up on it, barely. Somebody’s crashing through the foliage some ways off, bigger and noisier than any of the wildlife, or the locals, for that matter. He shifts his stance automatically, letting out a slow breath, and he’s ready to go after the sound, but-

Jared.

“Listen to me,” he says, and he keeps his voice low, waits until a pair of glinting hazel eyes settle on him. “I’m going to handle this. You stay out of sight, and you stay quiet, okay?” He can already see the protest coming, nonverbal as it may be, and he cuts it off. “When I said you could come with me on these patrols, it was under the condition that you did what I said, right? So I need you to listen to me right now and let me do my job, Jared.”

There’s silence for several seconds, besides the ever-nearer sound of the approaching intruder, but finally, Jared gives a stiff nod. A heartbeat later, he’s out of sight, blending seamlessly into the shadows. Jensen takes another deep breath and rolls his shoulders, trying to loosen his muscles. Right. Time to get down to business.

He’s quiet as he makes his way towards the sound, slipping his hands into his pockets and fitting the brass knuckles around his fingers with a practised ease. They’re a comfort, regardless of whether or not he’ll need them in this confrontation, and he focuses on that for the time being.

It’s not long before the intruder comes into sight. He’s big, broad in the shoulders, and though his features are shrouded by the low light, there’s no doubt that he didn’t make it this far by accident. He’s come prepared, hacking his way through some of the thicker brush with a machete, and that’s more than enough to set off alarm bells in Jensen’s head. Better to engage while there’s still some distance between them.

“Howdy, stranger,” he calls out, and watches the man jump, cursing loudly. At least he’s got the home field advantage out here. “What brings you around here? Sure seems late for a scenic walk through the woods.”

“What the hell are you?” the guy barks, and he’s already moving forwards, and _shit._ The aggressive ones are always bad news. “Ain’t supposed to be any humans out here, and I’ve heard the stories about this place.”

That’s all kinds of worrying, but Jensen just keeps an easy smile on his face, hands still in his pockets. He can bet he’s faster than this guy, so it’s just a matter of picking the right moment to strike. Can’t misjudge this one unless he wants to take a pretty nasty hit. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, buddy. Just a guy spending the week in his hunting cabin. You been drinkin’ or something?”

“Shut up!” He moves closer again, and by the way he’s holding the machete- he might not be an expert swordsman, but it’s a blade all the same, and that’s enough to have Jensen’s heart beating too fast for comfort. “You’re gonna tell me where to find this- this freak town, or I’m gonna make you regret it.”

Jensen thinks about all the friends he has in this “freak town.” About Danneel and Misha and Chris. About the girl at the grocery store, and the families who’ve lived here their whole lives, for generations.

He thinks about Jared.

“Sorry, pal,” Jensen says, and he shrugs, waiting another short moment as the guy moves forwards again. Perfect. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”

The man snarls, and just as he lunges forwards, Jensen moves. Should be an easy takedown if he gets behind the guy, a quick hit to the back of his head and he’ll hit the ground, no problem-

-except that Jensen isn’t paying enough attention to his feet, and an ill-placed root throws something of a wrench into his plans.

_He’s_ the one who hits the ground, the breath driven right out of his lungs, and before he gets the chance to recover, the man is on him, and- thank fuck; he’s dropped the machete for the moment, but Jensen isn’t even breathing yet when he catches a heavy right hook in the jaw, and he’s left dizzy and tasting blood. He’s yanked up by his shirt collar, and he’s scrambling to recover- knows that he can get out of this, if a little bit banged up, and he’s trying to think, trying to figure this out even as he gets hit again, and _shit,_ that’ll be a nasty black eye, but he’s still wearing the brass knuckles and if he can just manage to get in a solid swing-

He doesn’t actually get the chance.

Before Jensen can even raise a hand to defend himself, the man is ripped away from him, a feral snarl reaching Jensen’s ears as he struggles to sit up and to process what’s happening in front of him. It doesn’t take much to figure out that the huge form blocking much of his view is Jared, vicious and terrifying in the way that he’s pinned the man to the ground. There’s a choked, desperate shout, and Jensen’s scrambling to stand, his hand knocking into the discarded machete but paying it no mind as he races to interfere.

“Jared!” he manages, and even that comes out rough and breathless. Standing is a damn struggle, and- fuck, he must’ve turned his ankle when he fell, because it screams in protest when he puts weight on it, but that doesn’t stop him from stumbling forwards, fisting a hand in Jared’s thick fur for balance and to get his attention. “Leave him alone!”

When he gets close enough to see the man, Jensen’s relieved that he’s still alive. Bleeding, sure- it looks like Jared’s claws have sliced clean through his shirt- but it’s nothing fatal, and that’s good enough for now. Jensen keeps a tight hold on his friend as he fumbles for his inside pocket, hands shaking hard as his fingertips bump into the familiar tiny vial. Unbroken, thankfully.

“Don’t move,” Jensen mumbles, and he’s not sure who it’s directed towards, but it doesn’t really matter. He drops to his knees beside them both because it’s so much easier that way, and damn near spills the serum once he manages to get the cap off, but sure enough, he ends up getting it all in the guy’s mouth. Doesn’t even need to force him to swallow; apparently, the massive wolf holding him down is more than enough incentive. It’s seconds before his eyelids start to droop, and before long, he’s out cold.

With that out of the way, Jensen sits back hard, struggling to catch his breath. His head’s still spinning, and everything aches, but the job is done, and that’s the thing that matters most. He doesn’t even really consider Jared’s presence until he shifts, and he’s met with a frankly unfamiliar sight.

“What the hell, Jensen?” Jared is furious, and he’s shaking, and- and he’s naked, again, but Jensen doesn’t have it in him to be bothered right now. “Do you know how close he came to-”

“You weren’t supposed to interfere.” Jensen huffs out a breath and reaches up to touch his jaw, tentative. Winces. That’ll show in the morning. “I was fine, Jared. It happens all the time.”

“That doesn’t make it okay!” There’s something novel about seeing Jared in this new light. “He could’ve killed you, and you wanted me to just sit back and do nothing?”

Jensen laughs, that time, ends up coughing. He really needs to lie down. “I wasn’t going to die.”

Jared doesn’t seem to understand how he can make that kind of statement with so much confidence, but it clearly isn’t his primary concern. He moves into a crouch, and- and it should be really fucking distracting, with the naked thing, but there’s something fiery in Jared’s eyes that makes it impossible to look away, and- it’s warm, suddenly, too, and maybe that’s just because of how close they are to one another. “I’m not going to lose you like that. I won’t.”

It’s Jared’s hand that’s in his shirt this time, and he’s closer, closer- Jensen feels Jared breathing, even, angry little puffs of air that ghost over his lips. He should do something, here, like lean in, maybe- find out if Jared tastes as good as he smells, or if kissing is all it’s cracked up to be- but the logical part of his brain hits hard and fast, and he jerks backwards.

_I don’t want to see you get hurt._

“We- we should get back,” he manages to force out, and something in Jared’s expression is confused, anger turning into hurt, and Jensen has to look away, a lump growing in his throat. He tries to focus on the hard-packed dirt underneath him, fingertips digging into a layer of decaying leaves. Tries to breathe. “The- the kittens. They’ll be…”

He trails off, and it’s silent for a few seconds too long before Jared nods, just once. Before Jensen can even think to haul himself to his feet, he’s being lifted, Jared’s arms curling themselves tight around his body and scooping him right off the ground. Jensen isn’t exactly a small guy, and it’s startling more than anything else. The sudden altitude doesn’t pair well with his growing headache, either.

“What’re you-?”

“You’re hurt.” Jared’s voice is quiet and gruff, and he’s already walking, pre-emptively refusing any form of protest. “I’ll take you home.”

It’s a silent walk, only the sounds of Jared’s footsteps filling the air between them. Jensen feels exhausted all at once, and he finds himself leaning into the warm chest, the protective arms- it’s a foreign feeling, sure, but one that he quietly decides he enjoys.

Of more concern, though, is the moment they shared just now. The almost. The could-have-been. There’s a growing feeling in Jensen’s chest that absolutely terrifies him, something he’s scared to even acknowledge, and just this, being here with Jared- it threatens to drown him, picking apart every principle by which he’s lived his life for so long and tossing them aside. He’s devoted his entire existence to the rules of the _skjǫldr_ , and this- this isn’t something he even ought to be thinking about. He’s never once struggled with it before Jared’s arrival.

Jensen doesn’t even realize they’ve reached his home until Jared is quietly asking for the key, and he has to dig it out of his pocket to hand over. They’re inside a moment later, and the kittens are all curled up in bed, barely stirring as the door closes behind them. Jared doesn’t put him down until he’s close enough to the couch to set Jensen right onto it, and admittedly, Jensen is grateful for that. He’s doesn’t feel very confident about standing right now.

“Where’s your first aid stuff?” Jared asks. As he speaks, he’s moving towards Jensen’s set of drawers, going in for a pair of sweats that he’s left here for himself since the first incident. Jensen just gestures to the bathroom, resting his head against the back of the couch and letting out a slow exhale.

Jared’s return is announced by a dip in the couch’s cushions, and Jensen doesn’t realize he’s closed his eyes until warm fingertips brush over his jaw, feather-light. He tries not to wince, but the soft sound Jared makes in response says that he’s not entirely successful.

“You need to be more careful,” Jared mumbles, and Jensen doesn’t say anything, just shifting so that his friend can better clean up his face. There’s not much to be done besides icing it to bring down the swelling, but he lets Jared fuss, all the same. “Couldn’t you carry a gun or something?”

“I don’t kill people, Jared.” And hell, Jensen even sounds tired to his own ears. “Wasn’t that why your family left in the first place?”

Jared stays quiet for a short moment, and Jensen watches him as he works. The fire’s died down since they left for the patrol, but there’s still a low light coming from the remaining embers, casting warm shadows across Jared’s face. They make him look older than he is, and sadder, too. It hurts Jensen’s heart to see. “I wouldn’t care if you killed them to save your own life.”

They don’t talk much after that, as Jared finishes with Jensen’s face and wraps up his ankle, instead. By the time he’s finished, the kittens have woken up and wandered over, and Jensen holds them in his lap, rubbing his fingers over soft little ears and letting them soothe him. His eyes are still on Jared, and when the first aid is finished, he speaks up, quietly. “Are you going to head home?”

He isn’t surprised when Jared shakes his head. He’s hovering, even now, and Jensen doesn’t miss the way that his eyes linger on the bruises he knows are blooming on his face. “It’s late, and…” _And I don’t want to leave you alone_. He doesn’t need to say it out loud for Jensen to read it in his expression, and he doesn’t have it in him to argue.

Jared brings Jensen a blanket and pillow, both pilfered from his bed, and once Jensen’s good and settled where he is, Jared’s shedding the pants, shifting between one blink and the next to settle into his wolf form once more. Slowly, he makes himself comfortable at the foot of the couch, curling up on the floor in the dying light of the fireplace. Though Jensen’s bed is just across the room, he has no desire to move there, so he lays back on the couch, not bothering to protest when Atticus and Felix carefully sneak out of his arms and onto the floor to cozy up in the safe curl of Jared’s body. Freyja stays with him, a neat little ball of fur resting on his chest, and between the sound of Jared’s breathing and the ache in his own muscles after the fight, it isn’t hard for Jensen to submit to the heaviness of his eyelids.

Just as he begins to fall asleep, Jensen lets one of his arms fall off the side of the couch, fingers curling gently in Jared’s fur. It isn’t words, and it isn’t the kiss they came so close to sharing not long ago, but he hopes it can still convey the message he’s trying to send. The feelings that he doesn’t know how to better express.

_Thank you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Translations:_ mǫgr = boy/son
> 
> <3!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And things get more and more emo.

They don’t talk about what happened the next morning, or any time afterwards- not Jensen getting hurt, or Jared getting angry at him, or the almost-kiss. Jared starts hanging around more often, though, frequently spending nights in Jensen’s cabin, curled up on the floor with the kittens or even stretched out on the couch, and Jensen doesn’t argue. Something has shifted between them, and privately, he wants to see what happens if it goes any farther. It’s a dangerous thought to be entertaining.

He gets worried looks from other townspeople when he arrives so bruised up and limping from the attack, but none of them are ignorant to his role here, and nobody asks any probing questions once he assures them that he’s alright. Jared, lingering close by his side, stays quiet throughout it all, and Jensen can’t help but be worried about him, even days later. He doesn’t say anything about it, but he’s consciously a little gentler- doesn’t protest when Jared’s touch lingers a little too long, or when he stands a little too close, or even when he’s on the receiving end of an occasional scenting. After their argument, he can’t blame his friend for getting scared, and it’s the least he can do to let Jared reassure himself however he needs to.

“We’re not going into town today,” Jensen announces one morning once they’re back from the early patrol. They’re in his cabin again, and he’s packing a bag, and he can feel Jared watching him closely. He throws together a basic lunch for them both, a thermos full of hot coffee, a blanket, some water bottles- he still isn’t sure how long they’ll stay out, but there’s certainly no harm in being prepared.

“Why not?”

“Because the kittens need some fresh air.” He gestures towards the three of them, play-fighting in the middle of the floor, and he knows it’s a flimsy excuse. Deadwood Creek is a lot of things, but excessively polluted certainly isn’t one of them, and the air in the middle of town is just as clean as it is anywhere in the surrounding forest. “They’re animals. They like to run around in the wild sometimes.”

Truthfully, Jensen just wants a few hours to relax. As much as he loves the town and the people in it, occasionally, he likes to set out on his own for a short while; to take a day and just breathe, with no obligations and nobody to impress. The only difference, this time around, is that he intends to bring Jared along with him. He’s not the only one who’s in desperate need of some stress relief, after all.

“Besides,” he continues, pulling the backpack on and scooping up the kittens so they can take their places in his pockets. “You haven’t even seen the best part of this place, yet, have you?”

“The best part?” Jared repeats, and- well, he looks curious, at least, so that’s something. “Which part is that?”

Jensen smiles at him, tilting his head towards the door and starting to head out. “The town isn’t called Deadwood Creek for no reason. C’mon.”

Having spent so much of his life here, the whole surrounding forest is familiar to Jensen, and he leads the way by memory, taking Jared along their usual patrol route before veering away from it in a different direction, farther from town. Jared follows him without speaking, but it isn’t the heavy silence they’ve been struggling so much with over the past several days; it’s more peaceful, broken up by footsteps and little huffs of breath as they work their way across the terrain.

Jared must hear it before Jensen does, because he pauses, brow furrowed slightly when Jensen glances back towards him. “Is that… a river?” he asks, and Jensen’s only response is to keep walking, gesturing for him to follow along. Sure enough, it isn’t long before the sound reaches Jensen’s ears, too, the gentle rush and burble of running water, and he lets a tiny smile grow on his face, shifting the straps on his backpack. From there, it’s just another few steps before the trees part and the source of the noise becomes visible.

“Deadwood Creek,” Jensen says, voice soft, and then falls quiet as he gives Jared a chance to take it in. It’s not a very wide stream, or a very deep one- certainly nothing they couldn’t cross without trouble- but it’s beautiful, all the same. The shore is solid rock, the forest’s foundation revealed as time and the elements have washed away its layer of topsoil, thick veins of granite and unrefined quartz sparkling in the sunlight. Though leaves have started to fall in the late weeks of autumn, many of them still cling to their branches, lighting the trees around them in brilliant bursts of red and gold, and a ways down the stream, nearly out of sight in the shadows of the forest’s canopy-

“What is that?” Jared asks, voice hushed, and he’s already moving closer, trying to see. Jensen follows after him, mostly to make sure he doesn’t wander right into the water by accident.

“Well… I told you this town got its name for a reason.”

Nobody seems to have a good explanation for the way the trees have twisted together across the creek, their branches intertwined in such a way that tearing them apart would be nigh on impossible. The formation resembles a spider’s web, in an abstract way, and the bone-white of the wood only lends further to that particular image. There’s just enough room between the low-hanging pieces and the water’s surface to let debris drift by, undisturbed.

“Are they dead?”

Jensen offers a small shrug. “I don’t know,” he admits. Jared’s close enough now to reach out and touch the closest branch, and Jensen doesn’t stop him. “Some people in town claim that they’re undead, or that they died and were brought back, somehow. Every time I come here, it seems like they’ve grown, but… they never sprout leaves, or even flowers. I don’t get it.”

They’re both quiet for a moment, and Jensen just watches as Jared strokes his fingertips over the bark. Smooth as silk, to the touch, and cold. Jensen knows well enough from all the time he’s spent in this place. “They can’t be cut down, either. Apparently, people have tried in the past, but… it never really ends well for them.”

Jared just shakes his head, slowly pulling his hand away and turning back to Jensen. “You come out here a lot?”

“Sometimes.” Another shrug, and Jensen turns to head back towards a wide, flat part of the rock bed underfoot. “Just when I want to spend a day away from everything, I guess.”

He shrugs off the backpack and pulls the blanket out, taking a moment to lay it down for them before sitting. He lets the kittens out of his pockets as Jared settles across from him, and takes a moment to talk to them, stern. “Don’t go running off, alright? I’ll put the leashes on you if I have to.”

They respond by scampering off to say hi to Jared, and Jensen figures that’s good enough for now.

Soon enough, he’s set out their sandwiches and the coffee thermos, and they eat together, quiet and serene. Jensen hasn’t been to this place with another person since he was a child, and having Jared’s company is… it’s good. It adds something to the atmosphere, beautiful as it is all on its own, and Jensen clings to it, already attached no matter how hard he tries to fight against it.

By noon, the kittens are curled up together and dozing, while Jensen and Jared share the last bit of coffee and watch the creek as the water runs by, undisturbed by anything that happens around it. Jensen thinks he could happily spend the rest of his life like this, were there not responsibilities that tied him so closely to the town, but at least in these little moments, he can take a proper deep breath and try to relax.

“Jensen?”

Jared’s voice breaks the relative silence, and Jensen looks towards him, curious. Jared’s eyes are still on the creek, and he looks distant. Thoughtful. “Yeah?”

“You said… you said that you’d lived here most of your life. But you weren’t born here.” Jared shifts in place, and he looks at Jensen, then. Really looks at him, like he’s trying to understand a puzzle that’s been presented. “And I thought that this- the _skjǫldr_ thing. I thought it ran in families, but you said-”

“It doesn’t, no.” Jensen shakes his head, and glances down at the thermos in his hand. There’s just enough for one more mouthful of coffee, and he offers it to Jared. “The guy who did it before me… we weren’t related. He wasn’t my dad or anything.”

There must be something in his voice, because Jared prompts him further. “But… he was _something_ to you. And how did you end up here? You don’t have any family in town. There aren’t any other humans.”

Right. He figured he’d end up having to tell this story sooner or later.

“No,” he agrees. “There aren’t.” Once Jared’s taken the thermos and finished it off, Jensen settles, tilting his head back to look up at the sky. Another clear day, the sun shining down on them and staving off some of the chill from the air. “I came here when I was seven or eight. It, uh- it always sounds stupid when I say it out loud, but I ran away from home, and this is where I ended up.”

He can feel Jared staring at him, so he keeps going. “It’s not like I just happened to show up here because I was a bratty kid or- or whatever. I didn’t know until later, but… there’s this pull that you feel, as a _skjǫldr_. When it’s your time to come here, to take on that duty- you can’t resist it. It takes over you, and it brings you here.”

“But what about your parents?” Jared asks, and Jensen lets out a short breath. “Weren’t they worried about you? Didn’t they look? Or freak out when their kid wandered away out of nowhere?”

Jensen doesn’t look at him, eyes on a single, slow-moving cloud overhead. “They weren’t gonna miss me,” he murmurs. “Apparently, that’s a common theme for us. Makes it an easier transition.”

Jared doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, but a big hand curls around Jensen’s, squeezes. “What happened when you got here?”

“Dani found me, first. She was gathering herbs out in the forest.” He looks away from the sky, finally, to see the confusion in Jared’s expression and laughs. “She’s a little older than she looks. Thought I was lost, at first, but- but I guess she figured out why I was there before I did. Called me a _dǫuðarorð_ and took me back to town with her. Kinda seemed like everybody knew what was going on except for me, but I guess they don’t get a whole lot of human kids wandering through, so… it makes sense.”

“They knew you were supposed to be a _skjǫldr?_ ” Jared asks. “What about the guy who was doing it before? What happened to him?”

Jensen tries not to focus on the ache in his chest. “Nothing, when I showed up. He was still doing his job, protecting the town. I think he was out on patrol when I got there, but Dani brought me to his cabin to meet him, and- hell. I guess he knew what it meant, too.” Pauses for a moment, glances away. “His name was Jeff. Old enough to be my dad, and- well, that’s kind of how he acted, too. Took me right in under his wing and started showin’ me the ropes, teaching me about what a _skjǫldr_ did. What I would have to do, what responsibilities I would have.”

“So he was… your mentor.” Jared stays quiet for a short moment. “What happened to him?”

“He died.” It’s been a couple decades since then, but the words aren’t any easier to say. Jensen swallows thickly as he continues. “He, uh… he was taking me on patrol with him. Teaching me the route and everything. I was kinda used to it by then, but- but you saw what happens, sometimes. A guy who heard stories about the town decided to come looking, and- and he found us, instead.” Jensen remembers that day, crystal clear. Doesn’t think he could forget a single detail, even if he’d wanted to. “Jeff had me hide. I was just a kid, and- well, I guess he didn’t want me to get involved.”

In hindsight, Jensen’s positive that Jeff had known exactly what was going to happen. Few things are certain in this world, but when a _skjǫldr’s_ successor enters their life…

“The guy had a knife.” Jensen has to clear his throat, the lump in it growing too much to speak around. “Jeff didn’t see it, I guess, or maybe he just- couldn’t do anything about it, but… he didn’t move quick enough.”

He stays decidedly quiet about what happened after that.

“I’m sorry.” Thankfully, Jared doesn’t ask any questions, but- but his fingertips brush Jensen’s cheek, and it’s startling. More so when they come away wet, leaving Jensen confused as well as hurting as he reaches up to scrub the tears away. “I don’t… I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.” Jensen clears his throat again, because he didn’t mean to get so damn worked up about this, but- Jared doesn’t seem to mind. He just looks concerned, and he’s shifting closer, and then he’s pulling Jensen in under his arm, warm and safe. Jensen doesn’t protest. “He was a good guy.”

“Sounds like it.” Jared stays quiet for a few seconds, jaw working like he’s not sure if he wants to speak. “I, um… I lost my dad, a few years ago. It was just an accident, I guess, a- a mugging that went wrong, but… I don’t know.” He sounds uncertain, now, and Jensen looks towards him, sees the way that Jared’s eyes have drifted to focus on the river. “I- I know how it feels to lose somebody like that. That’s all. So I mean, if you ever want to talk or… whatever… I’m here.”

Jensen doesn’t have the words to express the warmth in his chest, so he settles for moving a little closer to Jared, resting his cheek on his friend’s shoulder and closing his eyes. At least he doesn’t have to be alone in this. Manages just a couple of words. “I’m sorry.”

Neither of them speak for the next few minutes, listening instead to the low ambience of the forest. The rush of water in the creek, the distant chirping of birds, the wind as it rustles the tree branches and plucks red and yellow leaves from their homes. Jensen stays where he is, tucked into Jared’s side and listening to his breathing, taking the moment to count his blessings.

They don’t move again until the kittens start to wake up, and it’s time to head back home. Still, it feels like some fundamental understanding has shifted, and they walk a little closer, this time.

Jensen doesn’t say no when Jared tries to hold his hand. There aren’t words in the English language for the amount of comfort it provides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Translations:_ dǫuðarorð = death tidings.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans.

Jensen doesn’t really understand what’s got Jared so fixated on their surroundings. It’s just another day out to town, and they’re taking it easy, this morning, elbows bumping as they walk together down the main street. Jared’s obviously distracted, though; his eyes keep wandering up and around them, and Jensen just throws him a few curious glances, fairly certain that it won’t be that long until-

“What’s with the decorations?” Jared finally asks, and Jensen huffs out a little laugh. “I mean- did I miss something?”

It’s not until Jared points them out that it even occurs to Jensen that anything is out of the ordinary. Now that he’s looking, though- storefronts are displaying pumpkins and other gourds with all sorts of unlit candles, some cheesy cobwebs hang overhead, and even the old-fashioned streetlights have been strung up with decorations in shades of black and orange. Ghostly knick-knacks sit on doorsteps, and even some black cat statues seem to have cropped up here and there.

Jensen feels the kittens squirm in his pockets, as if they can hear his thoughts.

It’s a bizarre mashing together of the old and the new, like everything in Deadwood Creek; while some of the decorations are clearly traditional, maybe decades old, many of them are modern, as well, shiny and plastic, with speakers and batteries included.

“Halloween is coming up,” Jensen replies, and he glances up at Jared, eyebrows slightly raised. “Didn’t you live with humans for most of your life?”

“Well- yeah, but I didn’t realize you guys celebrated it here.” He makes a face, eyes still roaming. “You didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t think I needed to.” Jensen shrugs. “It’s a little more traditional than what you get out there, I guess, but… it’s still Halloween.”

Jared’s face is lighting up, suddenly, and he turns to Jensen, eyes wide and nearly bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Please tell me that you guys still trick-or-treat.”

And that makes Jensen laugh, because- because Jared is a whole lot of things, but seeing him with such childlike excitement in his eyes… it warms something in Jensen’s chest. “Yeah, we still trick-or-treat. Human or not, kids love candy.” Jared cheers, and Jensen shakes his head with amusement before something occurs to him. “Speaking of which…”

He takes a moment to glance down at his watch, squinting at the date. “I’m gonna have to head out of town soon. Probably tomorrow.”

It clearly catches Jared off-guard, and Jensen’s still thoughtful as he receives his response. “You- out of town? You can do that? But-?”

“Hey, calm down.” He glances up at his friend once more, an easy smile on his face. “There’s only one human in this town, and we can’t exactly send a vampire off to Wal-Mart on an errand. Who do you think is in charge of hauling all that candy out here for the big night, huh?”

Just like that, Jared’s smiling again, and Jensen figures he should’ve anticipated the next question he asks. “Can I come? And before you say no- like you said, I’ve lived with humans for years! I know how to blend in and stuff.” He raises his eyebrows a bit, obviously hopeful. “Besides, won’t it be more fun than having to do it all alone?”

It’s a fair point, and Jensen doesn’t try very hard to refute it. “Okay, fine. But you have to be on your best behaviour.” He points a stern finger at Jared, doing his very best to keep a straight face. “No jokes about eating people. Got it?”

Jared’s still smiling at him, but he nods, as close to solemn as he can probably get when he’s this excited. “I’ll pretend I’m a vegan. It’ll be fine, promise!”

Jensen takes a moment to picture Jared eating nothing but vegetables and shakes his head with amusement. “Alright, whatever works. You can tag along. The kittens are coming, too.” It’s not like he can just leave them alone for a day, and though he could technically drop them off with Danneel, or any other number of people in town… well, these rare outings are just as fun for them as they are for Jensen. “We’ll leave first thing tomorrow, after patrol. Sound good?”

Jared’s already nodding, bouncing on the balls of his feet, even, and then he’s reaching out to grab Jensen’s hand as he starts walking again, nearly dragging him along. “Sounds awesome! So c’mon, now, tell me all about Deadwood’s Halloween.”

Jensen just laughs, and he doesn’t shake off Jared’s hold, letting himself just enjoy this moment. It’s his favourite time of year, the sun is shining, and the goofy werewolf who’s made himself Jensen’s best friend is smiling big enough to block out the entire rest of the world. Things are good- maybe better than they’ve ever been in his life- and for now, at least, he allows himself to indulge. There’s no harm in a little thoughtless affection between friends, and Jared’s fingers fit between his just right.

He tries damn hard not to think about it more than that.

* * *

As promised, they’re ready to head out the next morning, morning patrol covered and the local pack left in charge of keeping an eye on things for the day. Jared’s just about bouncing off the walls, and Jensen’s trying to contain his own excitement, a smile on his face while he makes sure they’ve got everything they need. Money, cell phone for emergencies, kittens tucked away in his pockets… keys. Jeff left him an old pick-up truck along with the house, and it’s the one he always takes for these trips, sturdy and reliable. It’s parked out behind his cabin, and he leads Jared there once they’re packed up and ready to go for the day.

Jared whistles when he sees it, and Jensen rolls his eyes, moving to brush some leaves off the hood. “Damn. I didn’t know you could drive.”

“Just on special occasions,” Jensen says dryly. He unlocks the truck once the worst of the debris is gone, and once he’s inside, Jared’s joining him in the passenger’s seat, clearly taking his time to look around. “You into cars or something?”

He gets a distracted little hum in response, and takes the moment to do up his seatbelt. He puts the kittens in the little cupholders between the seat, sleepy and content to curl up right where they are, and starts the engine. He’s always worried that the truck’s going to give out on him one of these days, from age or disuse or both, but it comes to life around them, no problem. He wonders to himself if there’s a touch of the town’s magic to be thanked for that.

“Nah, not really,” Jared says. He’s already rolling down his window, and Jensen takes a moment to entertain the thought of him hanging his head out of it, mouth open, tongue out, hair whipping around in the breeze. It’s hard not to laugh. “I’ve got eyes, though. She’s a beaut.”

It’s hard for Jensen not to roll his eyes at that, but he’s smiling, too, in such a good mood that he can’t help himself. “Guess so,” he hums, and then he’s pressing his foot down on the gas to ease the truck into rolling forward, and from there, it’s just a matter of making their way to the road.

A few people wave at them on their way out of town, and Jared seems to be having the time of his life, leaning out the window to greet people as they pass. For his part, Jensen just keeps driving, eventually rolling down his own window to let the fresh air inside. It’s nice to be behind the wheel again, and he knows to savour it while he can.

Leaving Deadwood Creek behind, it’s just the two of them and the kittens who’ve dropped right back to sleep. Jensen’s got his eyes on the road, and when he glances at Jared, his friend is still leaning out the window- not quite the silly picture he’d imagined earlier, but Jared still looks content, and that’s good enough for now.

“It’ll be a little while until we pick up any radio stations,” Jensen explains. “And it’s about an hour to get to town. Lots of time to kick back and enjoy the ride.”

And that’s what they do, too. It stays quiet between them, peaceful with the rumble of the engine and the breeze from outside. They’re not in any rush; it’s still relatively early, and they’ve got the entire day ahead of them. Besides that- every extra minute in the truck is another spent with Jared in this comfortable quiet they’ve settled into. Though he’s just as happy to listen to his friend talk the day away, there’s something special about the comfort that exists between them, the familiarity that allows them to sit in silence without needing to make anything of it. Jensen clings to that, and Jared certainly doesn’t protest.

It’s when they finally encounter other traffic that the little spell breaks. It’s just another truck, its driver not paying them any mind, but it’s the first sign that they’re getting close, some forty-five minutes into their trip. When Jensen looks towards the passenger’s seat, Jared looks like he’s just about drifted off, eyes half-lidded, head settled atop his folded arms where they rest in the open window. Jensen’s stuck staring for a few seconds, only dragging his eyes back to the road when they pass a speed marker- the first they’ve seen since leaving town. The first Jensen’s seen since he last left.

“We’re getting close,” he says, and he keeps his voice soft without really meaning to, wanting nothing less than to disturb Jared in his sleepy state. “It’ll probably just be another twenty minutes until we find our exit.”

Jared hums, and Jensen smiles. No harm in letting his friend doze until they reach their destination.

Driving requires more of his attention once they make it into town; it’s far from a big city, but there are other cars on the road and traffic laws he’s expected to obey. Though he’s got all the right papers drawn up in case things go wrong, he still doesn’t want to get pulled over for doing something stupid like running a red light. Thankfully, though, he knows the town well enough that it’s just a couple more minutes on the road before he’s found the store he needs, turning into its parking lot and taking a spot near the back, always conscious about drawing too much attention.

Jared stirs as the engine shuts off, and Jensen looks his way, trying not to smile. He looks a little sleep-mussed, and his hair needs some attention after all the wind treatment it’s received, but it’s far from a bad look on him and he doesn’t seem all that concerned with it. “We’re here?”

“We’re here,” Jensen confirms, and he gestures out the front towards the big department store that dominates the lot. “Ready to do some shopping? Or do you need a minute to wake up?”

Jared shakes his head, messing his hair up even further until he reaches up to smooth it down. “I’m good,” he promises, and he’s smiling, now, his earlier excitement starting to leak through again. “Let’s do it.”

Jensen returns the grin, and once he’s sure they’re ready to go- Jared takes responsibility for Freyja, for the moment, and Jensen takes her brothers in his pockets to carry- they’re leaving the truck, locking the doors before starting the hike across the parking lot. Already, this feels strange; there’s nothing in Deadwood Creek like this, and even just seeing other people coming and going from the store- other _humans_ \- it makes him…

“Jensen?” Jared’s voice interrupts his worried train of thought, and when he looks up, there’s a smile on Jared’s face, soft and happy. “All good?”

So Jensen smiles back, nodding and focusing once more on the task at hand. Admittedly, he’s happy to have brought Jared along, for more than just the sake of company. It’s ironic to think that a werewolf has more experience in this world than he does, but he knows it’s true, with Jared having grown up among humans, and there’s comfort in that thought, knowing that he won’t be left to stumble through this alone. It’s hard to go from relative isolation to the overwhelming immediacy of human society.

He takes the lead as they head inside, automatic doors sliding open and welcoming them into the artificial lighting and atmosphere of modern life. Unconsciously, Jensen finds himself tucking his hands into his pockets, fingers curling slow and gentle around the kittens to calm himself. Maybe Jared picks up on his discomfort, though, because he’s already taking the lead, stride long and confident as he takes them further into the store, seeming to have grabbed a cart without Jensen’s notice.

It’s a lot to take in, especially during this time of year. An assault on the senses through garish shades of purple and orange, and an overpowering cinnamon scent that seems to permeate everything around them. There are signs all over indicating Halloween specials, and Halloween events, and _Halloween_ , in general, and Jensen barely knows where to look, caught up between an enormous, inflatable pumpkin and a stuffed witch toy- complete with green skin, warts, and yellow teeth- that he thinks Danneel would take offence to. It’s not until Jared’s fingers curl around Jensen’s arm and start to steer him away from the overwhelming displays that Jensen’s able to focus again, and he blinks a few times, looking up at his friend to see a hint of amusement in Jared’s expression. “What?”

“You haven’t spent a lot of time in these kinds of places, have you?” Jared just shakes his head, and when Jensen looks to see where they’re headed, he’s relieved to spot the oversized boxes of candy and chocolate that are sold especially for this holiday. “It takes some getting used to. C’mon, we’ve got a mission to accomplish.”

Jensen is more than happy to let Jared take point, and soon enough, they’re loading up the cart with different boxes of treats, making sure to get a little bit of everything and a lot of the crowd-pleasers. Over the years, he’s gotten very good at knowing which candies are preferred in town.

“Can werewolves even eat this stuff?” Jensen finds himself asking as Jared piles on the chocolate bars. “I’ve never gotten a straight answer out of anybody and I’m always worried about giving it out to their kids.”

Jared pauses to glance at him, then gives a little huff. “We’re not dogs, y’know.”

Jensen just stares for a few seconds. “I’ve seen you chase your own tail when you’re on all fours. You’re pretty damn close.”

Though it looks like he’s trying to stay serious, that just sets Jared off laughing, and Jensen is, once again, left without a definitive answer. He files it away with all the other unsolvable mysteries he’s encountered, and focuses once more on their little supply run.

Only once their cart is piled high with treats do they start making their way towards the front of the store to check out. Jared’s in charge of steering their haul through the aisles, and Jensen sticks close to his side, still wary of how alien this entire situation is to him. He’s thankful for how calm Jared is about the whole thing, childish excitement aside, and it helps ground him, making it easy to stand and wait in line like he isn’t shopping with pockets full of kittens and a werewolf by his side.

“Is there anything else you’re supposed to do while you’re here?” Jared asks him. “I mean… you don’t get out here very often, right?”

Jensen shakes his head, glancing towards the front of the line. It’s not long, and they’ll be ushered through in a moment. “No, not really. Unless there’s anything you want to do, this is it. We’re good to go.”

“Nah, I’m good.” Jared answers maybe a little too quickly, and Jensen glances towards him, surprised. Being back out here for the first time since he’d arrived in Deadwood Creek to begin with, Jensen would’ve guessed that there would be _something_ Jared wanted to see or do. Even though the thought of spending more time here than strictly necessary doesn’t sit particularly well with Jensen, he’d been ready to suck it up for a few more hours to make Jared happy. “If we hit the road as soon as we’re out, we’ll be back home in time for lunch, right?”

Jensen watches his friend for a moment, then nods slowly, settling into that decision. “Yeah,” he agrees, and clears his throat as he glances away. “Sounds good.”

They wait in companionable silence for the rest of the time it takes to reach the front of the line, and then it’s just a matter of getting through the check-out process. Smalltalk is something that Jensen can deal with, even if the person on the receiving end is a total stranger, as the lady scanning their candy is, and he doesn’t let himself overthink it.

“Throwing a party?” she asks absently, and he finds himself nodding, happy to accept that explanation. “Guess it doesn’t hurt to have leftovers for later, either-”

A tiny mewl escapes from Jared’s breast pocket, and all three of them pause, looking towards the little lump there. Slowly, little Freyja pokes her head out, blinking sleepily, tiny ears perked up and at attention. She makes eye contact with Jensen for a short moment, seeming entirely unconcerned with their whereabouts, then opens her mouth wide in a tiny yawn.

“Is that…” The cahier draws Jensen’s attention once more, and he turns towards her slowly, blinking once. He tries not to pay too much mind to Atticus, who’s started nibbling his finger inside his pocket. “A cat?”

“We should really get going,” Jensen says in lieu of responding to that, giving her a half-hearted smile and quickly pulling out his wallet. By the feel of things, Felix seems to be taking the opportunity to say hello to the world, as well, and that just makes him move faster, counting out a few bills that end up about twenty bucks more than they owe and setting them down on the counter, already gesturing for Jared to start pushing the cart again. “Thanks, bye, happy Halloween!”

Together, they make a beeline for the door, Jensen taking the moment to make sure both of the kittens he’s got with him are safely tucked away, and keeping one eye on Freyja until she ducks back down into hiding. It’s a struggle to rush without drawing more attention than they already have, but by the time they’re in the parking lot again, Jared’s laughing, happy and breathless, and Jensen can’t help but join him, the whole situation just too ridiculous to hide it.

“Oh, my god,” Jared gasps out in the middle of it, and he’s still pushing the cart along, Jensen hurrying beside him as they head back to the truck. “Did you- did you see her face?” He looks down at his own chest, and addresses his pocket. “Did _you?_ ”

That’s got Jensen in stitches all over again, and by the time they make it back to the car, he’s gasping for breath, nearly doubled over when they finally stop to unpack. He takes in a few big lungfuls of air before he’s able to straighten up, smiling big and genuine when he sees the same expression on Jared’s face.

“So, uh- that went alright, huh?” he offers, and Jared gives him a nudge to match the grin. “I mean, hey, we got our candy. Mission accomplished.”

Jared’s smile gets a little softer, somehow, and Jensen’s all caught up in looking at it, warmth blooming in his chest for every extra second this stretches on. “Mission accomplished,” Jared echoes, and they stay like that for a moment, something caught in the air between them until Jared turns, suddenly, shaking his head. “Let’s get this stuff loaded up. Back home for lunch, right?”

It takes Jensen a few seconds to recover, but then he’s nodding, deciding that he doesn’t want to wonder about the almost-moment when it’ll almost certainly work to ruin his mood. Together, they move their boxes of candy from the overpacked shopping cart into the bed of the truck, making sure it’s all more or less secure before Jared heads off to return the cart and Jensen’s left to get in the truck, thoughtful and quiet for the few seconds of solitude. He takes the time to return Felix and Atticus to the cupholders and feeds them each a little snack from a baggie in one of his pockets, saving a bit for Freyja when she returns with Jared.

It’s just a short moment before that happens, and Jared’s letting himself back in, plopping down in his seat with a happy sigh and gently scooping Freyja out of his pocket. “You’re a little troublemaker,” he tells her, and Jensen can’t hide his smile at the faux-stern expression. “Is there a kitten time-out corner?”

“Nope,” Jensen says, and offers up the little bag of treats. “But we do have snacks. Almost the same thing.”

Jared seems to consider the merits of that proposal for a moment before nodding his agreement and going about feeding one of them to the little furball in his hand while Jensen starts the engine once more. Within minutes, they’re back on the road and headed out of town, trunk full of sweets and most of the day still ahead of them, waiting to be spent.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Jared says as they leave the town behind them. Jensen glances his way, and he’s smiling, looking thoughtful as he watches out the front windshield. “I mean, aside from one of your cats trying to sabotage our mission, it was pretty good. Kinda nice to be back out here.”

Those aren’t the words that Jensen is expecting to hear, and he can’t explain the fear that they stir within him. He’s speaking before he can think, words tumbling out all mixed up in irrational panic. “Well- I mean, sure, I guess, it’s alright, but everything out here is just… messy, and loud, and it’s so much nicer to be back home. Everyone knows you, and they’re nice, and it’s safe-”

“Hey, slow down.” Jared cuts him off, and he’s raised his eyebrows, now, and Jensen promptly shuts his mouth. “I know. I came back to Deadwood for a reason, y’know. I just mean it’s… hell, I don’t know. It’s different out here. It’s just… more.” He seems to think about that for a few seconds, and Jensen turns his eyes back to the road, praying that his face isn’t as red as his embarrassment makes it feel. “You know what they say, though. Quality and quantity.”

Jensen doesn’t say anything else, all caught up in his own stupid, spiralling thoughts. God; the slightest hint that Jared might want to be anywhere but Deadwood Creek, and this is his reaction? It’s pathetic to be this attached, not to mention dangerous, and it tightens something in Jensen’s chest, making it hard to breathe.

Jared’s his best friend. That’s all this is, and that’s the only reason his heart aches with the mere thought of losing him to distance. It doesn’t require any further thought or analysis, because there’s nothing _to_ think about or analyze. There can’t be; not if he wants to keep the dear friend he’s made.

“Hey, mind if I turn on the radio?”

It’s Jared- of course it’s Jared- and he’s smiling when Jensen glances towards him, completely unconcerned by the turmoil inside Jensen’s head. He’s good and kind and warm like nobody that Jensen has ever known, and when he thinks again about losing that-

“I know we won’t get anything in a little while,” Jared continues, “but I’m a sucker for some good music. Can we see what’s on?”

Jensen swallows hard past the fear and forces a smile onto his face, turning back towards the road. “Sure,” he agrees, and breathes out soft. “As long as we’re in range of something.”

Jared goes about fiddling with the radio, and Jensen continues to tie himself in knots over their future. The harder he fights to convince himself that everything is okay, the more obvious it becomes that he’s lying. Still, he fights, and he tightens his hold on the steering wheel, and he listens to the way Jared hums along to some country song, soft and cheerful.

Jensen doesn’t think he’ll survive losing something like this. God knows he’ll do everything in his power to make sure it doesn’t come to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost done! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This... is a big one. Enjoy!

“Where did you even find this thing?”

With Halloween finally upon them, and the sun high in the sky as they creep towards the late afternoon, Jensen finds himself inspecting a rubber mask that looks like it came straight out of some cheesy old horror movie. With big ears, yellow teeth, and thick fur filling up even more space around the thing’s neck hole, he can’t help but wonder exactly how humans went and imagined themselves this picture of a werewolf.

“Costume store,” Jared says smugly, and Jensen just shakes his head. They’re in his cabin, getting ready to head out to the town’s festival, and Jared’s still got the rest of his outfit on; a tattered old flannel over blue jeans with a fluffy tail in the back, and a pair of gloves that match the mask- grey fur, exaggerated claws, and an overall ridiculous representation of his own species. “They’re pretty easy to find, actually.”

“Right.” Jensen stares at the mask for another few seconds before just sighing heavily and handing it back. Jared drops it on a nearby table; supposedly, it’s hard to see through the eye holes and he doesn’t like the way it smells. “I didn’t know you were gonna dress up.”

“You told me that everyone dresses up here,” Jared points out, and- well, yeah. That’s fair. “Speaking of which, where’s your costume? You can’t just skip out.”

Very slowly and deliberately, Jensen turns and reaches for a headband that sits on a nearby dresser. It’s simple, but for a pair of furry, black cat ears, and he carefully slips it onto his head, making sure they’re positioned properly before giving his friend a triumphant look. “Done.”

Jared squints at him for a few seconds before giving a heavy sigh. “Fine. It’ll do. Are we ready to go?”

“Guess so, yeah.” Jensen shrugs, then turns again so he can grab everything he needs. He’s got a wicker basket, dressed up with festive ribbons so he can carry the kittens around- he didn’t spend the whole week preparing their costumes just so they could hide in his pockets- and he takes a moment to gather them all up. He readjusts the tiny pumpkin outfit that Atticus is wearing to make sure it’s sitting properly, checks the meticulous paint job on Felix’s coat for any smearing, and centers Freyja’s little bat wings once more. Once they’re all loaded up, he gets some spare change, his keys, and turns to Jared so they can head out, except-

“What’re you laughing at?” he asks, squinting as Jared tries and fails to hide his snickering. “What?”

“Nothing, just…” Jared clears his throat, and he’s still smiling, even as he gets some of the laughter under control. “Did you make their costumes yourself?”

Jensen glances at his basket of kittens, then back up at Jared. “It’s not like they could’ve dressed themselves, Jared. They don’t even have opposable thumbs.”

“Right, right.” Jared nods, looking like he’s still fighting back some giggles as they head to the door. “You did a good job, anyways. Is there a costume contest? Because I think they deserve to win.”

Jensen rolls his eyes at that, but he can’t stop smiling. “Yeah, there’s a contest. C’mon, I don’t want to miss anything.”

With that, they leave the cabin and start walking, comfortable and close. Jared’s buzzing with excitement, and it’s contagious, too; Jensen can’t help but keep looking at him, eager to soak up every last bit of his best friend’s personal brand of sunshine.

This late in the season, many of the trees around them are bare, exposing branches that reach up towards a clear, blue sky, and that’ll be casting all kinds of creepy shadows once the sun goes down. There’s a crisp breeze that validates the jacket Jensen pulled on before leaving his home, and the gentle crunch of leaves under his boots just add to the atmosphere. Another perfect autumn day, and judging by the sounds he can already hear as they start to approach town, the perfect setting for a happy, bustling Halloween.

“The pumpkin patch is out that way,” Jensen says, gesturing to a handcrafted sign as they pass. “It’s set up out behind the supermarket. They’ve usually got regular gardens and stuff out there, but- well, ‘tis the season.” Jared’s nodding along, when Jensen looks his way, eyes wide and attentive, so he keeps going. “We don’t really have the land for a corn field, but they do set up some mazes at the edge of town once the sun goes down, going into the forest a bit. Creepy as hell, let me tell you, especially when you’re nine and there are _actual_ ghosts jumping out at you…”

“Sounds traumatizing,” Jared says thoughtfully, then he’s grabbing Jensen’s arm, suddenly, his words quick and breathless. “Do you guys have haunted houses? Please tell me there are haunted houses.”

The childlike excitement in his voice makes it impossible for Jensen not to smile. “There’s one, yeah. You ever see the old mansion out past the cemetery?” Jared nods eagerly, and Jensen breathes out a little laugh. “They get it all decked out every year, make it a proper haunted house and everything… but I mean, technically speaking, if we’re talking about ghosts, then most of the buildings in town have been haunted at one point or another, and Haunted Grounds is haunted like, _constantly_ -”

“C’mon, let’s go check it out!” Jared’s grabbing Jensen’s hand, then, and dragging him along, headed straight for the cemetery. “I love haunted houses, man, and in a place like this- it’s gotta be awesome, I can’t wait-”

Jensen decides he’s best off just accepting this, and doesn’t hide his laughter as he’s led down the street. The cemetery’s gates look the same as always, but there’s a layer of fog hanging over its grounds that Jensen suspects is the doing of some of the local witches. Once they’re close enough to spot the sign that points towards the haunted house, Jared stops long enough to throw an excited grin over his shoulder and for Jensen to adjust his headband. “Ready?”

“Guess so.” Jensen checks on the kittens once- they’re all snuggled up together, barely paying attention to their surroundings- and then nods. “Lead the way.”

Jared grins once more, and once he’s got Jensen’s hand firmly within his own, he’s walking, headed up the old stone path that leads towards the dilapidated mansion. Jensen’s heard plenty of ghost stories about the place- ironically, many of them have come from Misha, who claims he lived there, once upon a time- and everything about its appearance, no matter the time of year, screams “haunted.” It’s an old Victorian-era home, white paint long since chipped away to reveal the dark wood underneath. Relatively recent repairs have cleaned up the rotted stairs that lead up to the front door, but each and every one of them still screams under any weight. Paired with the newly-leafless trees and the adjacent cemetery, the place is creepy enough on its own. There’s no telling what it’ll look like now, with its insides dressed up specially for tonight’s festivities.

“Dude,” Jared whispers as they walk up, and Jensen glances towards him, eyebrows raised slightly at the excitement that’s clear on his friend’s face. “This is _awesome_.”

Jensen just shakes his head with amusement and braces himself as they make their way up the front step. As expected, the old wood creaks and groans underneath them, and Jensen turns his attention, instead, to the sign that’s posted next to the front door.

_BEWARE. KEEP OUT. DANGER AHEAD._

“Creative,” he mutters, and Jared either doesn’t hear him or ignores the comment entirely, already reaching out and pushing open the door, apparently unconcerned by the loud sound it makes. “You sure you want to do this?”

“Positive.” Jared nods firmly and starts leading the way inside, maintaining a tight hold on Jensen’s hand. It’s eerily quiet already, just the sound the floorboards make under their feet filling up the silence, and Jensen lets his eyes roam once the door swings shut behind them. An abundance of cobwebs that he can’t identify as real or fake; tattered white sheets pulled over what he can only assume to be old furniture; a few dregs of dust-filtered sunlight, only adding to the unsettling atmosphere in the way it’s broken up by the stained, cracked windows. It’s creepy; Jensen can’t deny that much.

Jared sneezes a moment later, and he’s rubbing at his nose with his free hand when Jensen looks at him. “Dust,” he mumbles, and makes a face. “Man, I can’t smell anything past it. I feel blind.”

Jensen decides not to mention that it’s probably by design.

At the first sound that isn’t immediately identifiable- a creaking that comes from the other end of the house, and a rush of air that feels too cold to have come from outside- Jared startles, swearing under his breath as he nearly trips over himself. Jensen manages to help him stay upright, eyebrows raised and throwing his friend a concerned look.

“I’m fine,” Jared’s quick to say, and then he’s walking, again, leading the way forward with long, confident strides. Jensen doesn’t miss the way his grip tightens, though. “You, uh- you ever been in this place before?”

“Yeah, plenty of times.” Jensen offers a small shrug as he looks around some more, noting some spiders- definitely fake- that cling to the ceiling above them. “It’s more or less the same every year.”

He gets some grumbling in response as they leave the foyer. The staircase that leads to the second floor is roped off- Jensen’s pretty sure it’s got something to do with the building’s structural integrity, though it must be on the town’s to-do list to fix it up sooner or later- so Jared’s leading them past it, towards a little parlour. Though most of the furniture remains covered, there’s a faded sofa that still stands in place, looking sad and abandoned with holes in its cushions and an obvious sag in the frame. Jensen’s busy wondering about how long it’s been here when Jared jumps again, and his attention is pulled away, finding his friend staring at something that’s peeking out from under one of the white sheets.

“Is that…” Jared swallows hard, and he’s shaking as he inches closer. Jensen follows because he doesn’t have much of a choice, connected as they are right now. “A hand?”

That’s definitely what it looks like. It’s just a few fingers poking out from under the sheet’s edge, gently curled and stained with crimson. Jensen knows better than to reach for them, but evidently, Jared doesn’t; he leans in real slow, furrow in his brow like he’s trying to understand what’s going on, and just as he gets close enough to reach out and touch-

The hand grabs Jared before Jared can grab the hand, and the shriek he lets out is painful to hear.

“What the- _fuck_ , let go!”

He must yank hard enough to free himself, because seconds later Jensen is being dragged along again as Jared rushes off towards the next room, seemingly oblivious to the snickering behind them. Jensen just focuses on keeping a hold of his basket, careful not to let it knock into any of the doorframes as they pass and making some soothing sounds for the kittens when they stir.

“What the hell was that?” Jared whispers furiously, and Jensen finally glances up at him once Atticus has settled down again. “Jensen, that- that didn’t look like a ghost!”

“I never said there were ghosts in here,” Jensen says plainly. Jared just blinks at him. “It’s a haunted house. Are there ghosts in the haunted houses in the human world?”

“I mean- no, usually not, but…” Jared gestures wildly with his free hand. “You’ve got actual ghosts in town! Shouldn’t they be here?”

Jensen just shrugs. “Some of them join in when they feel like it. Some don’t like the stereotype. Misha usually just sets up a hot chocolate booth in the park for these events.”

Jared stares at him for a few seconds, mouth open. “Then who runs the haunted house?”

Jensen shrugs like he doesn’t know, and Jared makes a frustrated sound, turning around to take stock of where they are now. It’s the dining room, lit mostly by a few candles that sit along the length of the dinner table, set for a dozen people with no food in sight. “How do we get out of here?”

“The same way we got in?” Jensen crooks an eyebrow. “It’s not that complicated, c’mon.”

That earns him some indignant grumbling, but Jared keeps walking, apparently wary of all their surroundings as they head into the kitchen. It’s mostly uneventful, but for a few props- blood-covered knives, but cheesy plastic ones that make Jensen roll his eyes- and some sound effects. There must be a speaker somewhere, broadcasting a background of wind and creaking trees. When they make it out the other end, it’s into a study, with an old-fashioned wardrobe dominating one side of the room, and a skull sitting neatly on the desk across from it. That’s where Jared heads, and Jensen continues to follow along, giving the wardrobe an unimpressed glance on the way over.

“You think this is real?” Jared asks when they reach the desk, and he’s leaning in close to inspect the skull. “Who d’you figure it belonged to?”

“I don’t think it’s a real skull, Jared.” As serious as Deadwood Hollow might take their Halloween celebrations, they generally don’t go _quite_ that far. “Most of the stuff in here is pretend. That’s how haunted houses usually are, isn’t it?”

Jared’s about to answer him when the floor behind them gives a low creak, and Jensen just watches as Jared turns right in time for a hulking, white-cloaked figure to throw its arms over its head and make a low screeching sound at him. Jensen’s been here often enough to recognize the thing- tattered bedsheet, smears of ash, heavy footsteps- but Jared isn’t quite as lucky.

“Holy f-” He chokes off his own curse and doesn’t give any more time to finish it, yanking Jensen along as he bolts for the door. Jensen almost laughs with it, but stumbles along behind his friend, all the same, the two of them barreling through a sitting room and right back into the foyer. Jared’s already making a beeline for the door, but there’s something blocking it, now- another figure, similar to the first, with red stains on the white sheet and heavy-looking chains hanging around its neck.

“Oh, my god,” Jared whispers, and Jensen wonders if he’ll have a broken hand by the time they’re done with this. “We’re going to die.”

“We’re not going to die,” Jensen tells him dryly, and tugs on his friend’s hand a little bit. “I know your nose is all stuffed up, but c’mon. Tell me you don’t recognize him.”

“I- what?”

That must be the breaking point, because the figure before them breaks into laughter, then, nearly doubling over with it. Jared looks dumbfounded, and Jensen just sighs, shaking his head and unable to completely hide his smile. “C’mon, Chris. You’ve tortured him enough.”

With that prompting, Chris reaches up and pulls back his hood, charcoal and fake blood smeared across his face but doing nothing to dampen the grin he’s wearing. “C’mon, you saw his face. How was I supposed to resist?”

“You- you did this?” Jared manages, just staring. “But you didn’t… I thought-”

“We run this place every year,” Chris says, glancing at Jensen with an amused grin. “The whole pack chips in, one way or another. You caught us a bit early in the day, but- hell, we still wanted to give you a show.”

Jared seems to be in shock, so Jensen takes the initiative to lead him towards the door as Chris steps aside to let them through. “I think we’re gonna go get some fresh air and kick Jared’s brain back into functioning. See you tonight?”

“You know it.” Chris stops them just as they step outside, long enough to peek into Jensen basket and grin. “Cute.”

With that, they’re out, and Jensen continues to lead the way, glancing back at Jared a few times to make sure that he’s still alive. They make it all the way back, past the cemetery and onto the main road, before he manages to speak again. “Oh, my god.”

Wordlessly, Jensen scoops Felix out of the basket and offers him to Jared. “Deep breaths.”

Jared accepts the fluffy little offering and goes about mumbling to himself about terrible friends and pretend ghosts. Jensen rolls his eyes fondly and leads the way back towards town proper. “C’mon, that’s the scariest part,” he promises, and he even squeezes Jared’s hand, trying to comfort. “The rest is just fun. You’ve got a sweet tooth, right?”

When Jared peeks up from where he’s buried his face against Felix’s little body, he looks tentative and a little suspicious. Jensen decides not to comment on the tiny streak of white paint he’s managed to smear onto the tip of his nose. “Maybe.”

“Then let’s go.” He tugs once more, and tilts his head towards the park. “You gotta see everything.”

Jared’s a little more cooperative after that, and Jensen can focus more on walking and less on dragging. It’s not far, anyways, and as they make their way closer to the center of town where most of the festival is set up, music and chatter start to reach his ears. A smile grows on his face, unbidden, and then they’re reaching the entrance to the park, a gothic arch set up to welcome them inside, and he turns to smile at Jared. “Here. _This_ is the fun part of Halloween.”

Every bit of free space in the park has been taken over by festive booths and activities, trees and lamp posts around them decked out to match the season. Scarecrows, pumpkins, bales of hay; nothing has been spared from the festivities, and though he lets his eyes roam the decorations for another few moments, most of Jensen’s attention goes straight all the other people milling around.

“Wow,” Jared says, and he sounds genuinely astonished. Jensen glances up at him, and they’re still holding hands, and maybe that should bother him, on some level, but it feels too good to let go. “You guys really know how to throw a party, huh?”

Jensen huffs a laugh and starts leading the way once more, intent on letting Jared experience the full extent of the celebration. “Gotta be good at something, right?”

The layout of the booths is more or less the same every year, so Jensen makes a beeline towards the food vendors. He can practically hear Jared salivating over the caramel apples, but leads him to Misha’s spot first, smiles once they get close. There are a couple people ahead of them, but it’s a short wait, and Misha’s already pouring two cups of cocoa for them once they reach the front of the line. He’s got himself a rather elaborate top hat and suit to match, every bit of his outfit pinstriped. A monocle completes whatever look it is that he’s going for, tucked carefully into his breast pocket. “Happy Halloween, you two.”

“Happy Halloween,” Jensen hums, and he’s more than happy to accept his cup when it’s set down for him. “Jared was wondering why there weren’t any ghosts in the haunted house.”

Misha’s attention shifts to Jared, and he squints slightly. “Because I’ve got a business to run.” Pauses for a moment. “I’m sure the others have reasons, too, but I actually have a good one, so-”

Jared just shakes his head, and Jensen can’t hide his grin when he looks up at his friend. “Just… never mind,” Jared sighs heavily, and finally takes the lead again, drifting towards some of the candy that’s on display at nearby booths. “Is that real caramel?”

Between the cocoa and the candy apple that Jared picks out for himself- it’s bigger than Jensen’s fist, and just looking at it makes his teeth hurt, but there’s chocolate drizzle mixed in with the caramel and peanut topping, so he might finally have an answer to his question about werewolf allergies- it doesn’t take very long to get a smile back on Jared’s face, and Jensen’s able to start showing him around, sipping his drink on the way. The pumpkin-carving competition has already started, and there’s a table lined with pumpkin pies ready for an eating contest a little bit later (“ _no_ , Jared. I don’t want to leave early when you eat yourself sick”). As they wander, more people start to join the celebration, parents with their children and groups of friends moving around together, everybody dressed up and smiling, a warm, friendly atmosphere making it impossible not to join in on the cheer.

They stop by Danneel’s booth long enough to say hi- she’s got a tall, pointed hat on, and seems to have gone with the classic witch look this year, green skin and all- and she’s got a knowing look on her face when they get close. “You guys look like you’re having fun.”

Jared, having somehow already finished his behemoth of a Halloween treat, nods happily. “I haven’t been to this kind of festival since I was a kid. Didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

Jensen’s attention is on Danneel’s eyes, where they linger just between them- taking in how little space there is, maybe, or how Jared’s pinkie keeps winding its way around Jensen’s, even though they’re not really holding hands anymore. “Well, I always tell people that if you’re going to celebrate Halloween…” She gestures around them, smiles. “This is the place to do it.”

They manage to slip away before she can talk them into getting any amulets- Jensen already owns his fair share, and he there are only so many he can really justify keeping around- and they’re back to wandering again, no real destination in mind until Jared spots an apple-bobbing setup and declares that he’s going to win something for Jensen. That makes Jensen’s heart stutter in a way that it really shouldn’t, but regardless, he finds himself following after his friend, watching as Jared pays for a turn and gets on his knees. He doesn’t even bother pulling his hair back, just sticking his head right into the bucket of water and staying down for an almost alarming amount of time before finally resurfacing. He’s got his teeth buried in an apple and he’s grinning around it, somehow, and Jensen can’t hide his laugh, reaching out to help Jared stand while takes the apple out of his mouth and uses a hand to slick back his wet hair.

“Told you,” he says, breathless, and when the teenagers running the game ask him which prize he wants, he takes a little stuffed cat, with big, yellow eyes and soft, black fur. “C’mon, you have to admit that was pretty awesome.”

Jensen can’t stop _staring_ , though, even as he very carefully accepts the stuffed cat and sets it inside his basket alongside the kittens, where they immediately shuffle around to include their new friend in their cuddle pile. There are water droplets clinging to Jared’s eyelashes and dripping from his hair, and his smile is breathtaking, open and happy in a way that makes Jensen _ache_. In a way that makes him terrified. He can’t stop thinking about Danneel’s warnings, or the way Jared had come so close to kissing him the night he got hurt. He can’t stop thinking about the overwhelming _need_ in his own chest, suddenly, and he has to look away, trying to convince himself that it’s something else. Anything else. Anything that means he doesn’t have to lose Jared.

“Jensen?” And fuck; now Jared’s voice is all soft and concerned, and he’s reaching out, and- and his fingertips brush Jensen’s hand and he should pull away. He _should_. He absolutely shouldn’t be accepting the hand, gripping it tight like somebody’s going to try to tear it away from him. “You okay?”

Jensen clears his throat a bit, and he shifts on his feet. Focuses on the kittens for a second because maybe they’ll help ground him, but all he can think about is the warmth of Jared’s hand around his and how much it’s come to feel like home. “Fine,” he says, and it’s too quiet, so he makes himself smile. Makes himself look up at Jared and pray that he doesn’t look as off-balance as he feels. “It was, um- it was pretty awesome, yeah.”

It takes a moment, and Jared’s clearly worried, but then he smiles, just a little bit. Soft and tentative, but it’s there, and that’s what counts. It’s enough to soothe the horrible anxiety building up in Jensen’s chest. “So, um… is there anything else to do around here?”

Jensen’s grateful for the distraction, and he nods, clearing his throat a bit as he glances around. The sun’s just starting to go down, painting the sky in warm hues as darkness begins to creep up on them, and that means… “They’ll be starting a bonfire soon,” he says, turning back to Jared. It’s still hard to look at him, the way it’s hard to look at the sun without the clouds to filter away its brightness, but he tries. “It goes pretty much all night, and we’ve still gotta get back to answer the door for the kids, but… we can check it out before we head back?”

Jared agrees with a nod, and it’s up to Jensen to lead the way this time, carefully weaving his way through the crowd with Jared’s hand still firmly clasped around his and the basket of kittens- now with one additional inhabitant- held protectively close. They make it out of the park and leave some of the noise behind with them, and Jensen leads the way to the far edge of town, opposite the cemetery, where the bonfire always ends up being built.

“It used to be more traditional,” Jensen explains on their way over, and it’s a bit of a relief to focus on history instead of his companion, and he clings to its familiarity. “A couple hundred years ago, there’d be- uh, well. The locals were pretty big into human sacrifice before the only humans around were the ones protecting them.”

“Huh.” Jared sounds a little dumbfounded at that, so Jensen just keeps leading him along. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad they’re not trying to sacrifice you.”

It’s a little easier to breathe with Jared’s teasing tone in his ears, and Jensen even cracks a genuine smile. “Yeah. Lucky me.”

The bonfire is just getting started when they get close, the main structure of it already put together and the beginning of the fire already taking light. A few people are milling around, mostly those responsible for setting it up in the first place, but it’s generally quiet outside the crackling of the flames.

“Gets pretty tall once things get going,” Jensen says once they come to a stop. Jared’s standing beside him, and they’re still holding hands, and there’s nothing he can do to make himself pull away. “Sometimes they roast marshmallows and stuff. Sing songs. Some rituals, every now and then. The whole nine.”

Jared makes a soft sound in response, and when Jensen looks his way, he’s surprised to find his friend already looking at him. Their gazes meet, for a few seconds, and the fire reflecting in Jared’s eyes, lighting them up, casting soft shadows across his face, it’s- it’s-

Jensen looks away quickly, staring hard at the ground, instead.

They don’t talk for a while after that, just standing together in the fire’s warmth as the flames start to grow higher, gathering a bigger crowd as the sun slips below the horizon. Jensen’s hung around for the whole thing, in some past years, but now that it’s properly dark out…

“We should get going,” he murmurs, and doesn’t need to look to tell Jared’s turned towards him. “The kids are gonna start going door-to-door soon, and it doesn’t seem fair to make them go all the way down my driveway without getting any candy.”

Jared breathes out a laugh, and he doesn’t need any more prompting to turn and start leading the way back towards Jensen’s home. Besides the bonfire, there are torches and candles set up all around town, adding further to the illumination of the old street lights, but Jared still has better night vision than he does, and there’s a sense of comfort in following along behind him.

Things get quiet once they get out of earshot of town, and the flickering firelight is left behind, only the glow of the full moon overhead showing them where to place their feet. It’s nicer like this, Jensen thinks; more intimate, no matter how hard he tries to shy away from that word. He loves the town’s festival, but the crowd can be overwhelming after a while, and it’s nice to be able to wind down like this… except in every past year, he’s done this part alone.

Jared’s fingers, warm and rough where they fit between his, remind Jensen that it isn’t the case this time around.

“Here we go,” Jared murmurs when they reach the cabin. Jensen pulls his keys out and hands them over so that Jared can let them in, flipping on the lights as they step inside. “How many kids do you usually get coming by?”

“Most of them.” Jensen focuses once more on what he’s supposed to be doing, a small part of him thankful when Jared lets go of his hand. Mostly, he just misses its comfort. “I’ve been told it’s worth the hike, since I give out the best candy.”

He takes the kittens over towards the fireplace and sets the basket down gently, crouching so he can put on another log. It takes some coaxing, but he’s able to revive some old embers and get a nice blaze going within a couple minutes, while Jared busies himself elsewhere. When Jensen glances his way, he’s changed, abandoning the remnants of his costume in favour of more comfortable sleep pants and a big t-shirt.

“You think the kids will mind?” he asks, glancing down at himself. “Those gloves were not fun to wear. And the tail was just silly. Can you imagine if I had that thing flopping around all the time?”

Jensen just shakes his head, making sure the kittens are all dozing before he stands again. “I don’t think they’ll care,” he promises. “I might have another headband somewhere if you want to borrow that, though.”

It makes Jared laugh, and it sends him searching while Jensen busies himself getting the candy ready to distribute. Maybe it’s the full-sized chocolate bars that bring the kids here. He gathers everything up in a couple oversized bowls and sets them down by the door, making sure to turn on the porch lights before deciding that they’re ready to go.

“Ah-ha!”

Jared’s exclamation makes Jensen glance his way, and he can’t hide his laugh when he sees the matching black cat ears that his friend has donned. “How many of these are you hiding, anyways?”

Jensen shrugs. “Couldn’t say. But they look good on you.”

Jared grins and winks at him, and the two of them end up on the couch together, Jensen even turning on the TV he rarely uses so they can put on a movie and kill some time. _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ is just kicking off when they get the first knock on the door, and Jensen hops off the couch to answer it, Jared close behind him.

It’s a group of younger kids with their parents, and Jensen smiles for them, happy to hand out candy as Jared holds the bowl for him. They both receive well wishes for the season (as well as a couple of tiny, excited hugs) before the group heads off again, Jensen keeping half an eye on them while they’re in sight before returning to the couch.

Things continue like that for an hour or so, the earliest groups of trick-or-treaters slowly depleting Jensen’s stocks of candy as he and Jared work their way through the movie. It takes him probably too long to notice that they’ve been drifting closer together every time they sit down, and it’s not until he’s tucked right up against Jared’s side, leaning into him, their hands tangled together between them that it occurs to him that anything is out of the ordinary.

That horrible tight feeling is back in Jensen’s chest, and he pulls away, suddenly, trying to dispel it. What’s his problem?

“Whoa, hey- what’s wrong?” Jared says right away, and Jensen can’t even look at him, plastered to the other end of the couch and trying so damn hard not to focus on the concerned tone in his best friend’s voice. Jared’s moving, though, closing the gap between them all over again until their knees are bumping together and Jensen can’t breathe anymore. “Jensen, are you-?”

“I’m _fine_ ,” Jensen says tightly, except the way he nearly trips over himself standing up probably doesn’t make it very convincing. He looks at Jared by accident, and the expression there is worried and confused and a tiny bit hurt. “I just- I’m fine, Jared, it’s-”

“No, you’re not fine.” And Jared’s standing, too, then, and _god_ , when did he get so tall, and he’s got Jensen’s hands in his own, suddenly, cutting off his getaway. “You’re freaking out. You’re stressed. I can smell it on you, Jensen. It’s kind of hard to ignore. What’s wrong?”

And Jensen doesn’t know if it’s Jared’s closeness, or his touch, or the way he looks so fucking beautiful in the low light of the fire, but he wants to cry. Wants to just break down right then and there and spill everything out, tear the heart right out of his chest so he doesn’t have to _feel_ this way anymore. It’s horrible and overwhelming and makes it so fucking hard to _think_ -

“Jensen.” Jared’s voice is softer, now, and he drops one of Jensen’s hands in favour of cupping his cheek. It’s gentle, and it’s tender, and Jensen tries so damn hard not to press into it and show how much he needs this. “Talk to me. Please.” He hesitates, then, just for a heartbeat. “I… I care about you. And I know you care about me, too. Why won’t you let me-?”

And maybe it’s the way he leans in, just a fraction of an inch. Maybe it’s the way he’s looking at Jensen like the rest of the world no longer exists. Maybe it’s his touch, sending little shivers through Jensen, warm and careful and too _much_ all at once. Maybe it’s everything _Jared_ that’s driven him so far from what he’s supposed to be, from the rules he’s supposed to follow, and maybe it’s how fucking close it brings Jensen to breaking them. How fucking badly he wants to forget every single one and just let this happen the way it’s supposed to.

He can’t do this anymore.

Jensen doesn’t let himself think when he pulls away, doesn’t let himself feel the loss of Jared’s warmth or the way his own heart is already cracking in his chest. He doesn’t give Jared time to talk, either, because if he hears another word- he’s so scared of breaking. He can’t let that happen; not now.

“I don’t,” he says quietly, and the lie tastes like poison on his tongue, and he turns away. Can’t bear to look in Jared’s direction, so he stares at the floor, instead, trying not to tremble. “I don’t care about you. Not… not like you think I do.”

There’s stunned silence for a few seconds, and Jensen wants to throw up. The floorboards creak with Jared’s movement, and Jensen goes stiff, praying he doesn’t try to touch him. “But… Jensen, hold on-”

“Don’t.” It comes out sharper than it should, but it has the desired effect as Jared stops in his place. “Just… go. Please.”

When Jared doesn’t move, Jensen almost wants to turn towards him. Wants to scream himself raw, like maybe that’ll make this any less excruciating, but before he gets the chance, he hears Jared shift again. Stays perfectly still while Jared’s footsteps bring him to the front door, and then he lingers there, for a few seconds, and Jensen comes so close to turning again, but-

“Bye, Jensen.” Jared’s voice is quiet, and something about his tone- small and sad and broken- punches a hole right through Jensen’s chest. “I… I’ll see you around.”

It takes every bit of willpower Jensen has not to break down right there, but he manages to hold off until the door clicks shut. That’s as far as he can get, though, and his knees hit the floor hard, the pain only registering distantly as he curls in on himself, shaking.

Fuck. _Fuck._

Maybe this is why he isn’t allowed to fall in love. Maybe he should never have bothered with getting close to people, opening himself up to this feeling, because it- it just-

It feels like dying, and it feels like it’s never going to end.

He doesn’t know how long he spends like that, or when the tears start to fall. At some point, three tiny balls of warmth worm their way into his arms, and he doesn’t have it in him to push them away, clinging to the kittens like they’ll do anything to wipe away this agony. Grabs for the stupid stuffed one, too, clutching it desperately because it’s from Jared, and maybe he should get rid of it, but even the thought of it turns his stomach. And _fuck;_ this shouldn’t be happening. It shouldn’t be like this, because he doesn’t- he can’t-

Jared is his friend. _Was_ his friend, maybe, and his throat closes around that thought, but that was all. Nothing more, nothing that would justify feeling so utterly decimated by its loss, and he just…

When somebody knocks on the door, he ignores it, at first. Maybe he’ll regret it later, but he’s a fucking mess and there’s no need for the local kids to see him like this. It must’ve been nearly an hour, now, with the movie’s credits providing some faint background noise and the fire burning low, and- and maybe he should just turn off his lights and go to bed, but…

The knocking continues, and it gets more urgent. Nobody’s calling out “trick or treat,” and as Jensen sits up slowly, reaching up to scrub the tear tracks off his face-

“Jensen? Are you in there?”

It’s Danneel, and she sounds scared. Jensen’s heart skips a beat and he’s quick to set the kittens down, almost stumbling over himself in his rush to get to the door.

He must look as much like a mess as he feels, if Danneel’s face is of any indication, but she doesn’t ask, and for that much, he’s grateful. “Something’s wrong,” she says, quick and urgent, and Jensen’s already on high alert, attentive. “There must be somebody at the borders, or- or something, because I heard howling, and there’s just- there’s just this feeling. I can’t explain it, but something’s _wrong_.”

Jensen doesn’t need any more than that.

He keeps Danneel long enough for her to point him in the right direction, then sends her home, making her promise to lock her doors as she hurries off. From there, he’s all business, heart beating hard and fast at the back of his throat. He barely remembers to take his headband off as he picks up his brass knuckles and pulls his jacket on, taking a deep breath as he gets ready to head out.

He doesn’t have time for heartbreak right now. He’s got a job to do.

By the sound of things, he doesn’t have very much ground to cover, but he still runs, focusing on his own breathing and the sounds of the forest around him. Even in the dead of night, it feels familiar, and he lets his instincts take over, guiding him between the trees and through the underbrush. Sure enough, it isn’t long before he hears sounds, too- howling, just like Danneel had said, and it’s enough to put Jensen’s heart in his throat as he tries desperately not to let his imagination take him down the wrong path. It could be anyone. Could be the whole local pack, really, all gathered up and trying to drive off an intruder. That’s the most logical answer, he thinks, and it’s stupid to be worried about-

He can’t afford to think about that. He pushes himself to run a little faster, all the same.

When he gets close enough to hear a struggle, he slows down, takes the opportunity to catch his breath and slip on the brass knuckles. Judging by the sound of things, there’s more than one attacker, and that’s beyond dangerous; he needs every advantage he can get right now, and it’s what drives him to stay quiet, creeping in close as he tries to assess the situation.

All that flies out the window when the trees part and he sees what’s going on.

Jensen counts three men, all of them armed- blades, thankfully, not bullets- and one wolf. One of the men is already bleeding badly, barely on his feet, and the second one looks like he’s taken a few good hits, but the third seems mostly untouched. The wolf is bleeding, too, and clearly exhausted, snarling at its attackers as they start to edge in closer, throwing taunts his way.

“What’s wrong, poochy? All alone and can’t fight back?”

The wolf snarls again, every familiar inch of its body tensed and ready to lunge, and Jensen feels like he’s going to throw up.

_Jared._

Before he can do anything- before he can think to move, or figure out how he’s supposed to do this, from which angle he needs to attack- the men are moving again, and things happen too quickly for Jensen to follow with his eyes.

The uninjured one lunges, and Jared moves, too- and maybe he miscalculates, or maybe he’s not fast enough, but there’s a triumphant shout and an agonized, piercing howl, and when Jared turns, trying to scramble away-

The knife is silver. It must be, because Jensen knows enough about werewolves to understand that nothing else sends them down that hard. The blade came out messy, too, tearing through flesh and fur at Jared’s shoulder and making him yelp, and he’s barely standing, anymore, looks like his front leg isn’t doing him any good, and the men are laughing, starting to move in, and-

And Jensen doesn’t think anymore.

He feels disconnected from his body, for a short time. Like maybe none of this is real as he rushes forward, shouting for attention and taking down the injured man, closest to him, with no difficulty or hesitation. One hard hit across the face and he’s out, maybe dying, but Jensen doesn’t concern himself with it when there are two more opponents to consider. They’re just registering his presence now, and he doesn’t slow down, doesn’t give them time to adjust. The second man goes down just as easy because he’s still off-guard, and his nose cracks under Jensen’s fist, making him scream in a way that only registers somewhere distant.

When Jensen stands again, when he turns to face the third man- the last one, the one that hurt Jared- he looks like he doesn’t know whether to be cocky or terrified, and he’s running his mouth, too, maybe doesn’t have any survival instinct left after pulling a stunt like this.

“What, you some kinda hippie?” he mocks, and the words don’t mean anything. None of it does, really, because Jared’s bleeding on the forest floor and the man responsible is only a handful of feet away. “C’mon, it’s just a little fun. You never been hunting befo-?”

The knife catches Jensen’s side when he gets close, but he doesn’t feel it. He’s busy throwing the man to the ground and climbing on top of him, cold and detached when he throws the first punch and feels the dull vibration of impact. There are more after that, he thinks, but he loses count quickly. It all blurs together until a low whine behind him turns into something a little more coherent. Words.

“Don’t.”

It’s barely a whisper, but it stops Jensen short. He turns his head slowly, still straddling the man- probably unconscious, if his stillness is anything to judge by- and sees Jared, no longer in his wolf form. He looks like a mess, but his eyes are still alert, and they’re fixed on Jensen, pleading.

“Don’t kill him.” He’s struggling to sit up, and- and god, it’s tugging hard at something in Jensen’s chest. “You- you don’t kill people.”

Jensen speaks on autopilot, because there’s nothing in the world he wants more right now than to end the miserable lives that did this to the most important person in his world, no matter how hard he tries to fight against that admission. “I do when they hurt the people I love.”

The shock and confusion pass over Jared’s face too quickly to follow, but they tug Jensen out of his daze, bringing him back to reality. He’s breathing hard, and he might’ve broke one of his fingers- he’s usually more careful with how he uses the brass knuckles, but caution hadn’t been on his mind for the past several minutes- and he’s bleeding, too, but Jared’s injuries are of more concern right now.

He takes a moment to amend his previous judgement- there’s _one_ thing he wants to do more than kill these men.

He stands slowly, shaking hard as he takes off the brass knuckles. They go back into his pocket and he reaches for the serum, instead, going to each of the three men one by one to feed it to them. They’re all unconscious, now, in various states of injury, but he can’t spare a thought for them once the necessities of the job are done. As soon as he turns to Jared, they cease to exist in his mind, and he moves towards his best friend, slow and careful. Jared watches him, and he doesn’t seem to know how to feel, hurt and vulnerable and a tiny bit of hope that manages to shine through it all.

“C’mon,” Jensen says quietly, and he’s as gentle as he can be when he hauls Jared to his feet. Jared’s not a small guy, but he’s in no shape to be walking without some support right now. “Let’s get you home.”

They walk in silence, Jared leaning heavily against Jensen as they move. He’s still bleeding, and though none of his wounds seem to be fatal, they’re still worrying; werewolves are quick healers except for when silver is involved, so the poison needs to be washed away before his body will be able to mend itself properly. It’s his shoulder that’s taken the worst damage, and Jensen pays careful attention to it as they move, trying to assess just how bad it is.

It must be midnight by the time they make it back to the cabin, and Jared looks like he’s ready to pass out from exhaustion. Jensen doesn’t deny him that, leading him straight to his bed and letting him lay down, ignoring the mumbled protests about getting blood on his sheets.

“Just stay put,” Jensen orders him quietly, and hurries off to get his first aid kit. When he returns, the kittens have gathered around Jared, all curled up on the pillow around his head. Jared’s eyes are closed, and Jensen assumes he’s sleeping until he gets close and sits down on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry,” Jared mumbles, and Jensen frowns, not saying anything as he gets ready to clean up Jared’s wounds with his good hand. He’s got his own injuries that need attention, too, but they can wait. “I shouldn’t have… tried t’take ‘em all on.”

“No,” Jensen agrees quietly. He takes a moment to thank the gods that Danneel had talked him into buying some special disinfectant months ago, and dampens a bit of gauze with it as he goes to work. “You shouldn’t have. You could’ve- you almost-”

“But I didn’t.” And there’s just a tiny hint of smugness there, of teasing. Jensen wants to cry. “You saved me.”

Jensen doesn’t say anything for a while after that, because cleaning Jared up is more important. He’s meticulous with the disinfectant, paying special attention to the ugly gash on Jared’s shoulder to make sure he cleanses every bit of silver poisoning that could be affecting Jared’s ability to heal himself. Once that’s dealt with, he focuses on the smaller wounds, cleaning everything up before going about bandaging them. Jared’s mostly quiet throughout it all, eyes closed and breathing softly. If it weren’t for the occasional flinching, Jensen would’ve thought he’d fallen right asleep.

It’s not until every single one of Jared’s wounds has been dealt with that the silence is broken. “You got hurt, too.” Jared opens his eyes a crack and makes like he’s going to sit up, but Jensen beats him to the chase and presses a hand to his chest. “I can help.”

“You can close your eyes and go to sleep,” Jensen replies, quiet but firm. “I’m fine. You need to rest, and you need to heal. I can deal with this myself.”

He waits until Jared relaxes again before removing his hand, only lingering a few extra seconds for the luxury of feeling the steady heartbeat in Jared’s chest. He takes the moment to tuck the blankets around Jared’s body before moving on to deal with himself.

Jensen isn’t nearly as thorough cleaning up his own injuries, but he strips down and pulls on a pair of pyjama pants before bandaging his side and bracing his finger against one of its neighbours. He’ll have to have it looked at later, and there’ll be some nasty bruising all across the rest, but he doesn’t have it in him to care right now. It’s a dull ache, and one that’s easy to ignore in the grand scheme of everything that’s happened tonight.

He sets the first aid kit on the floor when he’s finished, too tired to bother returning it to the bathroom. He reaches to turn off the lights, and doesn’t let himself overthink it when he slowly curls up in his bed alongside Jared, wondering if any of this is okay.

Judging by the warm arm that snakes around his middle, maybe it is.

“Jensen,” Jared says very quietly, and Jensen closes his eyes, trying to be subtle about moving closer. “You… when we were out there… you said that…”

“Yeah.” He clears his throat, and he feels something wrench in his chest. Maybe he isn’t supposed to feel this way, and maybe it’s against the rules, but…

Jared’s hand flattens out over his heart, and Jensen takes a shaky breath.

“I do.”

Jared’s grip tightens on him minutely, and Jensen can feel a small huff of breath at the back of his neck.

“Me, too,” Jared whispers, and Jensen breathes out hard. “I’m sorry.”

They don’t say anything else that night, but by the time they fall asleep, the both of them beat up and exhausted and tangled up in each other, Jensen feels a little bit lighter.

Maybe things are going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just the epilogue left! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end. :>

Jensen wakes the next morning to tiny, soft paws kneading into his shoulder, and he blinks his eyes open slow and careful to find Freyja cuddled up on the pillow beside his head, trying to get his attention. It doesn’t take him long after that to register the warm presence at his back, or the heavy arm that’s still draped across his middle, and he holds his breath, wondering if he’s caught in the last few seconds of a dream.

When Jared stays right where he is and Jensen doesn’t find himself waking up, he exhales slowly, then starts to shift around. He sits up carefully, trying not to disturb Jared and gently plucking Freyja off his shoulder so he can hold her, instead. It’s still early, the sun not yet fully risen, and it’s quiet, too- besides Jared’s breathing and the gentle rustle of wind through the trees outside, silence fills the room, and it’s more soothing than it really ought to be.

He considers lying down again and trying to go back to sleep, but he’s not quite tired enough to pull it off. Instead, he looks at his companion, eyes tracing over Jared’s features as he sleeps. It’s not the first time he’s seen Jared like this, of course, not after weeks of essentially living together, but it’s the first time he’s seen it up close, and he doesn’t intend to waste the opportunity.

Jared looks younger when he sleeps. Softer, too; it’s hard to believe that he’s one and the same as the wolf from last night. Hard to believe that any of that really happened, just a matter of hours ago, when they sit here now in such peace. Still, Jared’s bandages are enough of a reminder, and Jensen finds himself frowning as he looks at them, wondering whether or not he’ll be able to check on the wounds without waking Jared up.

“Mornin’, beautiful.”

It seems like he might not have to worry about that, though, as his eyes flick up to meet Jared’s, half-lidded and sleepy, but open all the same. He’s smiling, too, and Jensen realizes that Jared’s arm is still curled around his waist. There’s not one single part of him that wants to pull away.

“Hey,” Jensen says, keeping his voice low and soft. Finds himself just staring for a few seconds, because the longer they’re alone like this, the easier it becomes to ignore the part of his brain telling him that this isn’t allowed. “How’re you feeling?”

A low hum, and Jared shifts around a bit like he’s trying to assess that for himself. Jensen keeps a close eye on his shoulder, and once Jared’s staying still, he sets Freyja down with her brothers where they’re still dozing beside Jared and leans in to undo the bandaging, intent on checking on it for himself.

“Stiff,” Jared tells him, but doesn’t sound all that concerned about it. “But better. You’re pretty good at this doctorin’ thing, huh?”

Jensen just hums in response, working to peel the last of the gauze away. Though the wound is still visible, shiny-pink like new scar tissue, it’s closed up nicely overnight, and he’s overwhelmed with a rush of relief- he must’ve gotten enough of the poison out for Jared’s own healing abilities to have taken over and finished the job.

“You’re gonna be fine,” he breathes out, and when he looks up to meet Jared’s eyes again- Jared’s watching him, and he’s smiling, real soft. Doesn’t seem all that concerned by his near-death experience. “What?”

“You saved me.” He’s got a dreamy look to him, and Jensen wonders if maybe he needs to rest a little while longer. “My _skjǫldr_ in shining armour.”

_I did my job._

Jensen has to bite his tongue on the words, because they feel wrong. Though they might be true, in essence, there’s something different about this, too. Something that’s so much more than just fulfilling his duty.

“Guess so.” Jensen pauses a short moment, fingertips resting against Jared’s chest as he starts to clear away the rest of the bandages. “I should’ve been faster. You got hurt.”

“So did you.” And it’s really not until that reminder that it even occurs to Jensen to worry about his own injuries- his broken finger throbs, and the dressing on the gash he’d gotten is messy at best. He doesn’t let any of that show on his face, though, not until Jared’s sitting up beside him. “Let me help.”

Jensen wants to protest, but Jared’s not giving him the chance, leaning around Jensen to scoop the first aid kit off the floor. Jared’s no longer hurt enough to justify making him lie down, so Jensen’s left to just accept the fussing, lying back when he’s instructed to do so and breathing out a sigh as Jared starts to inspect his wounds.

Jared’s fingers are gentle as they peel away the bandaging, and Jensen tries not to wince, closing his eyes and just listening to the soft sound Jared makes. “Jesus,” he’s mumbling, and there’s some shuffling around as he digs through the first aid supplies. “Human injuries are really messy.”

Jensen huffs out a breath and stays still while Jared rebandages him, throwing an arm over his eyes and quietly taking pleasure in the prolonged physical contact. He doesn’t know what they are anymore, after everything that happened last night, but at least in the safety of his own mind, he can admit that he wants Jared close, for as long as he’s allowed to enjoy it.

When Jared finishes with the bandaging, Jensen opens his eyes again, not bothering to protest when Jared picks up his hand, instead, trying to inspect his finger. It’s swelling up badly, and Jared carefully frees it from the makeshift brace, making a soft sound.

“How’d this even happen?” he mumbles, and Jensen just shakes his head, too tired to explain. He’ll be lucky if he can even get his brass knuckles on a month from now, but it’s not his top priority for the moment. Not when Jared’s here, all sleep-soft and worried and curled up in bed with him.

He sits up slowly, and it brings them closer than he means it to- just a few inches between their faces, knees bumping together under the sheets. Jared’s watching him intently, and Jensen finds himself meeting the gaze, all caught up in the way that Jared’s eyes shine up close. They don’t say anything for a few seconds, but Jared shifts, just a touch; gets a little closer and lifts one of his hands. His fingers find Jensen’s uninjured ones and curl together with them, and the movement is enough to shift the blanket where it’s settled over their laps. It’s not much, but Jensen catches a flash of skin in his peripheral, and when he turns his head to look-

He’s blushing, suddenly, remembering the state Jared had arrived in. “You- you’re-”

“Naked?” And Jared’s grinning, then, when Jensen looks back at him, and his free hand finds Jensen’s cheek, drawing him in close. “C’mere.”

When their lips meet for the first time, everything else fades into the background, and nothing in the world seems to matter. Jared’s lips are soft against his, and warm, and Jensen falls headlong into it all, leaning closer and gripping Jared’s hand so tight it hurts. He’s shaking, maybe, and feels like he should be crying, too, but all of it is inconsequential for the fireworks in his chest and the tender way that Jared holds him while they kiss.

When they finally break apart, it’s for air, and they stay close, Jensen letting his forehead rest against Jared’s while he catches his breath. They’re still holding hands, and Jared’s other hand has slid down to rest on the side of Jensen’s neck, and Jensen doesn’t ever want this moment to end, his heart feeling full to the point of bursting.

“Was that okay?” Jared asks, and he doesn’t pull away, but he sounds worried, too. Jensen knows it’s his own fault, and it hurts to think about what he said last night in his attempt to push Jared away. He tightens his hold on Jared’s hand and nods, just a tiny bit. Closes his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I- god, Jared. I’m sorry.”

Jared responds by kissing him again, and Jensen breathes out a watery laugh. “It’s okay. We’re together now, right?”

And it _isn’t_ okay, not with how badly that moment hurt the both of them, but Jensen stores it away for later. He’s got so much to tell Jared, the least of which being the rules he’s supposed to follow, the ones that led him to lash out in the first place, but none of it matters right now. None of it matters on a lazy morning in bed, with no immediate obligations and just the two of them here to pass the time.

“Yeah.” Jensen swallows hard, and when he opens his eyes again, he’s smiling. “Together.”

Jared smiles back at him, then manages to coax him back into lying down, if only so the two of them can curl up together for another hour of rest. There’s still the morning patrol to think about, and the kittens need to be fed, and sooner or later, Jensen’s going to have to visit the clinic to get his finger looked at. There ought to be repercussions, too, for throwing caution to the wind and giving in to his feelings like this, but Jensen decides it isn’t worth his time to worry about. For how good it feels to just close his eyes and let Jared hold him, to tuck his nose into the hollow at the base of Jared’s throat and focus on relaxing, it’s easy to decide that having this in his life is a million times more important than a set of arbitrary rules written centuries before he was born.

“Hey, Jensen?”

Jensen hums in response without bothering to open his eyes. Jared’s breath tickles the top of his head while he speaks, and it’s hard not to hear the smile in his voice.

“Does this mean you’ll let me wander around the house naked now?”

Jensen laughs himself breathless, and Jared hugs him tighter, and even though they’ve got a long road ahead of them, it feels like everything is going to be okay. Whatever might be waiting for them over the horizon, Jensen knows that he won’t have to face it alone.

Maybe being in love isn’t such a bad thing, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Thank you to all of you who've made it this far, and thank you again to everybody who helped me get to the end of this fic through lots of encouragement and excitement and suggestions. I conceptualized and wrote this in twelve days, and it was a pretty wild ride.
> 
> I'm super happy with how this all came out, and I hope you all enjoyed it, too! There are definitely other stories I want to explore in this world- mostly concerning Jared's background, and the whole backstory with Jensen and JDM- so I might try to tackle those sooner or later, if people want to see them (plus, y'know, maybe Jared and Jensen ought to bone or something). I'm also happy to answer any questions about the universe, if you have them!
> 
> Anyways, thanks again for reading, and Happy Halloween! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Chapter two will be up shortly, and I'll be posting the whole story by the end of the day. <3
> 
> Also, for what it's worth, I went ahead and made [a pinboard for this fic](https://www.pinterest.ca/ally6614/deadwood-creek) while I was writing it. Just. Because. If that's your kinda thing, it exists.


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